CHAP. XXIX.

The Spaniards departe from Aucheo, and come vnto Chincheo, wheras the Insuanto was: he commanded them to depart vnto the port of Tansuso, whither he went himself for to dispatch them: at whose departure he sheweth great fauor and maketh them great feastes.

The Spaniards departed from the citie of Aucheo vpon a Tewsday, being the 23 of August, in the sight of all the people of the citie, who came foorth to see them with so great presse and thronge, as they did when they first came thither into the countrie: they were al carried in litter chayres, yea their verie slaues, for that it was so commaunded by the vizroy; the friers were carried by eight men a peece, and the souldiers by foure men a peece, and all their seruants and slaues were caried by two men a peece. Looke so many men as was to carrie them, there went so many more to help them when they waxed weary, besides foure and twentie that carried their stuffe. There went alwayes before them a harbinger for to prouide their lodgings, and with him went a paimaster, whose charge was to ordain and prouide men for to cary their litter chaires, and to giue them for their trauell that which is accustomed, and to pay all costs and charges spent by the Spaniard. After that they departed from Aucheo they made of two daies iourney one, which was the occasion that they came to Chincheo in foure daies. At their entring into the citie they found a seruant of the Insuanto, with order and commandement that they shuld proceed forwards on their iourney, and not to stay in the citie, but to go vnto the port of Tansuso, whither he wil come the next day following. They obayed his commandement, and made so much haste that in two dayes they came vnto the village of Tangoa, wheras they had bin before, and particular mention made thereof. In the same village they were lodged, wel entertained, and had great good cheere: from thence they went in one day to Tansuso, which was the first port wheras they did disembarke themselues, when as they came from the ilands vnto that firme land: the iustice of the town did lodge them in the same house whereas they were first lodged, and did prouide for them of all things necessary and needfull, and that in aboundance, til the comming of the Insuanto, which was within foure dayes after; for that he could not come any sooner (although his desire was) for that it was very foule weather.

The next day after his comming thither, which was the thirde of September, he sent and commanded the Spaniards that they should embarke themselues, for that it was that day the coniunction of the moone (although at that time the ships were not fully in a redines). They obayed his commandement, and the Insuanto himself went to the water side, in whose presence came thither certain religious men of their maner, and after their fashion they made sacrifice with certain orations and praiers, in the which they craued of the heauens to giue good and faire weather, and a sure voyage and fauorable seas vnto al those that saile in those shippes.

This ceremony being done (which is a thing very much vsed in that countrie) the Spaniards went vnto the Insuanto, who was there with great company and maiestie: hee entertained them very friendly and with cheerful wordes, making an outward shew that hee bare them great loue, and that their departure was vnto him a great griefe. Then hee requested them to giue him a remembrance of such thinges as was necessarie and needful for their prouision for the sea, for that hee woulde giue order for the prouiding of the same; the which he did, and was with so great aboundance, that they had for the voyage and remained a great deale to spare. Hee then commaunded to bee brought thither cates to eat, and drink, and gaue it them with his owne hands, as well the one as the other; hee himselfe did eate and drinke with them, which is the greatest fauour that can be shewed amongst them.

The banquet being ended, he commaunded them in his presence to go abord their shippes, because that was a luckie day, and also to accomplish that which the vizroy had commaunded, which was that they should not depart from thence vntil they had first seene them imbarked. The Spaniards obeyed the commandement, and tooke their leaue of the Insuanto with great curtesie and reuerence, and with outward shewes that they remained indebted for the great curtesie and good will that they had receiued: and therewith they departed to the waters side, towards the boat which was tarrying for them.

As they passed by the religious men (that before we spake Strange sacrifices. of) they saw a great table set, and vppon it a whole oxe with his throte cut, and hard by the same a hogge and a goate, and other thinges to bee eaten: the which they had ordained for to make sacrifice, which they do vse in the like affaires.

They being imbarked in the boate, they were carried aborde the Admirall, which was the shippe appointed for them to go in: then presently they beganne to stirre the shippe from one place unto another, with certain boates and cables which they had there readie for the same purpose. The shippe did not so soone begin to moue, but the religious men a shore did beginne their sacrifice, the which did indure vntill night, ending their feastes and triumphes in putting forth of the cittie and vppon their gates, many cressets and lights. The souldiers shot off all their hargabushes, and the ships that were in the port shot off all their artilerie, and on the shore a great noise of droms and bels: all the which being ended and done, the Spaniards went a shore againe vnto their lodging; but first the Insuanto was departed vnto his owne house, with all the company that hee brought with him.

The next day the sayd Insuanto did inuite them vnto a banket, which was as famous as any which had bene made them vnto that time. He was at the banquet himselfe, and the captaine generall of all that prouince. There was aboundance of meates, and many pretie deuises to passe away the time, which made the banquet to indure more then foure houres; the which being done, there was brought forth the present which the Insuanto did sende vnto the gouernor of Manilla, in returne of that which was sent to him. The present was fourteene peeces of silke for the gouernor of Manilla, and tenne peeces for the generall of the field: hee also commanded to be giuen vnto the friers each of them foure peeces, and vnto their seruants and slaues certaine painted mantels, and therewith he tooke his leaue of them very friendly, and gaue vnto them letters, the which hee had wrote vnto the gouernor, and vnto the general of the field, answere vnto those the which they had wrote vnto him, and said that all things necessarie for their departure was in a redinesse, with victuals for ten monethes put a bord their ships, so that when as winde and wether did serue they might depart. Also that if in their voyage it should so fall out, that any of the Chinos that went in their shippes shoulde do vnto them any euill, either abrode or at the ilands, that the gouernor therof should punish them at his pleasure, and how that the vizroy will thinke well thereof: in conclusion he saide vnto them, that hee hoped to see them there againe verie shortly, and to returne againe with Limahon, and then hee woulde supplie the wantes which now they lacked. The Spaniards did kisse his hands, and said, that they had receiued in curtesie more then they deserued, and that in all thinges there did abound and not lacke, that they remained greatly indebted vnto him for their friendship, and would giue their king notice thereof, that whensoeuer occasion shoulde bee offered, to repay them with the like: and therewith the Insuanto departed to his owne house, leauing in the companie of the Spaniards fiue captaines, those which should go with them in their company to sea, and also Omoncon and Sinsay, who were that day in the banquet, with the habite and ensigne of loytias, for that the day before it was giuen vnto them by the Insuanto.

Upon Wednesday, which was the fourteenth of September, the wind came faire, wherewith they hoised vp their sailes and went to sea; at their departure there was at the waters side the Insuanto and the iustice of Chincheo to see them saile, the which Insuanto had conceiued so great loue and friendship of the Castillas, that when he sawe them depart he shedde great aboundance of teares, as was affirmed by diuers Chinos that saw it; to which the Spaniards gaue credit vnto, for that they knew him to be a maruellous louing person, and humaine, of a good condition, and of a gallant personage, and did exceede all other that they had seene in all the time of their being in that prouince.