CHAP. III.
The fryers and their companions came vnto the cittie of Canton, they went on shore, and praised God for that it had pleased Him to let them see their desire fulfilled. There comes a iustice to visite them, and hath with them great communication.
The Spaniards seeing that they were there at an anker a good while, and that there was none that came vnto them to demand any question, they hoisted out their boate, and went in it on shore, wheras they al kneeled downe upon their knees, and with great deuotion did say Te Deum laudamus, giuing thankes to God for that he had so myraculously brought them into the kingdome of China, of them so much desired, without any pilot or other humane industrie; the which being doone, they began to walke along by the crane aforesaid, nigh unto the which were certaine houses wheras were kept ropes and tackling belonging vnto the shippes; so they proceeded forwards with intent to seek the gates of the citie, the which after they had gone the space of foure hargabus shot, they found the gate, which was verie great and sumptuous of a strong and gallant edifice. The people of the country seeing them at their comming a shore how they did kneele downe, and how that their manner of attire was different from the people of the same, and not knowing from whence they did come, did cause in them great admiration, and to ioyne togither a great troope of people, and followed them with great desire to see the end of their enterprize.
This great multitude of people was the occasion that they entered in at the gates of the cittie without being discouered of the guards and posts that were put there for that purpose, neither were they disturbed of the entry by reason of the great throng of people and strangenesse of the matter. So after they had gone a while in the streete, the people increasing more and more to see them, they staied in the porch of a great house there, where as the iustices of the sea, or water bailies, do keepe their courts of audience; and in the meane time that they remained there, which was a pretty while, the guardes of the gate understood that amongst the presse and throng of the people, did enter certaine strangers, contrary to the precept given them vpon great penalties; they straightway, with great fear that their ouersight should be discouered, ran and laid hands vpon the Spaniards, and carried them backe againe and put them out of the gate of the citie, without doing any evil or harme vnto their persons, and willed them to stay there in that place till such time as they had given the gouernor of the cittie to vnderstand thereof, and he to send them licence that they may enter in againe. So after a good while that they had remained there wheras the guards had set them, there came vnto them a man who was a Chino, called Canguin, and could speake Portugal, who knowing them to be Christians by their faces and attire, did aske them in the Portugal toong, what they sought? the Spaniards answered him, that their comming into that kingdom was for to shew and declare to them the way to heaven, and to give them to vnderstand and know the true God, the creator of heaven and earth, and that they would very faine talke with the gouernor to entreat therof. This Chino by and by brought to them a man that could speak very good Portuges, who as after they did vnderstand, both he, his wife and children were christened; and although they were borne in China, yet did they dwel thre years with Portugals that were inhabited in Machao, which is twenty leagues from that cittie of Canton. This did demande the same question of them that the other did, and wherefore they came into that countrie? They answered him the same as they did the other; hee replied, and asked them who was the pilot that brought them thither? they answered, the will of God; they not knowing howe, nor from whence: but after they had sailed at the sea certaine dayes, they came vnto that place that according as it was given them to vnderstande, is the cittie of Canton, of the which they have heard declared many straunge thinges. The Chino asked how the guardes of the sea, and shippes that were in the straight aforesaid, did let them passe? they answered that they saw no guards nor any other that did trouble them their passage. This last answere did cause the christian Chino greatly to admire, who being moued with a good zeale, said vnto them, that they should returne againe vnto the shippe, and not to come forth untill such time as he had giuen aduice of their comming vnto the mandelines of the sea, which be certaine iudges appointed to giue aduice of all such matters to the governor, that he may command what is to be done therein.
So the Spaniards returned vnto the shippe, wheras they remained a good while, and passed great heate, for that it dooth exceede in that port. So after a while, they sawe come vnto a house which was neere vnto the gate of the cittie, a man of great authoritie, who was brought in a litter chaire, and much people came with him; he stayed at that house, and from thence sent to call vnto him the religious men and all the rest that came in their company; before them all came one that carried a table, all whited, and thereon was written certain great letters, with blacke ynke, the which (as after they understood) was the licence that the gouernor of the cittie gaue them for to come a shoore, without the which there is no stranger permitted. The fathers did straightwayes obey it, and came forth of their shippe with more companie than they desired, of such as came to see them, who were so many in number, that although the sergeants and officers of the iudge that sent for them, did beate them for to make way, yet was it a good while before they coulde come vnto the house wheras the iudge was, although the way was but short. So when they approched nigh, one of the sergeants bad them kneele down before the iudge, the which they did with great humilitie without any replication. Hee was set in a verie rich chaire with so great maiestie that they were greatly astonyed to see it, and the more when that they understood by the christian Chino that he was not the gouernor, neither of the supreme iudges; hee was apparelled in a robe of silke, close from aboue down to the foot, with the sleeues very wide, and a girdle imbossed, and on his head a bonnet full of brooches, such as bishops doo use on their mytres. Before him was set a table, whereon was paper and inke, and on the one side and on the other, two rankes of men, as though they were to guard him, yet without weapons. They had al of them in their hands, long canes of foure fingers brode, with the which (as after they did vnderstand), they do beat such as are offenders, vpon the calues of their legges, with great crueltie, as hath been told you in the first books of this historie. All these had vppon their heads a manner of helmet, made of blacke leather, and on them great plumes of pecocks' feathers, with brooches made of mettal, a thing vsed to be worne in that countrie of such as are executioners or ministers of iustice.
The iudge had the interpreter to aske them of what nation they were, and what they sought in that countrie, and who was their guide to bring them into that port: the which being vnderstood by the religious men, answered that they were Spaniards, and subject vnto the king Philip of Spaine, and came thether to preach the holy gospel, and to teach them to know the true God, creator of the heauen and Marke the Friers confession of images. earth, and to leaue off the worshiping of their idols (who haue no more power of themselues, then that which is giuen them by him that doth make them): the which worship is knowne and receiued by his holie law, and declared by the mouth of his only begotton Sonne, and confirmed with diuine tokens from heaven, in whose guarde doth consist the saluation of all soules. And to the last, touching who was their guide vnto that kingdome: they answered, That it was God, vnto whose will all creature are subiect, as vnto the true creator: all the which (as afterward it did appeare) the interpreter did not truely interpret of the interpretation of the Spaniards: vnderstanding, that if hee should truely interpret what they saide, the iudge would forthwith sende them away, which would be the occasion that he shuld get nothing of them. So that he made his interpretation as at best seemed for his purpose, fearing (as after he did confesse) that if he shuld declare the truth of that which the Spaniards had said, it would haue beene verie odious to the iudge, and afterward both vnto them and to himselfe might be the occasion of some great euill: but to conclude, he answered and told the iudge that they were certaine religious men, who liued in common a sharpe and asper life, much after the manner of those of that kingdome: and that going from the Iland of Luzon vnto the Ilands of the Illocos, in a great storme and tempest that chanced them, the ship wherin they were was cast away, and al their people cast away, sauing they, who escaped by vsing great diligence, and put themselues in that small ship, which came in company with another greater shippe, without pilot or mariner, for that they were almost all drowned; and setting saile in the best manner they could or knewe, being holpen and constrained by necessity, they let their ship saile, and go whither as fortune did cary them. So after many dangers and stormes at the sea, according to the will of the heauens they came vnto this port, whose name as yet they knew not. The iudge asked them where they had that Chino that they brought in their company for an interpreter. They answered that he was in Luzon, and captiue vnto a Spaniard: they tooke him and set him free, and hee vnderstanding that they were bound vnto the firme land of China, which was his naturall countrie, he requested them to carrie him thither; the which they did with a very good will, for that they had neede of him to vtter their desire, if neede did so require. All the which the other interpreter fearing, that if he should tel vnto the iudge how that he was captiue vnto the Christians, hee would bee offended, and therefore hee did falsifie the same and saide, that comming vnto an iland to take in fresh water, they found the boy there, where he was captiue eight yeares before, and came thither forced with a great storme, in the which was drowned a merchants shippe that was bound to Luzon, and he alone escaped by swimming; and so hee came aborde the shippe in the which were the fathers, not knowing whither they went. All these vntruthes he did inuent for to dissemble and go forwards with his knavish pretence, and would not declare the true intent of the friers: the which he had decreed with himselfe how to doo before the iudge did sende to call them. Moreouer, the iudge did aske them what they brought in their small shippe; they answered that they brought nothing but one chest and two little fardels of bookes, and an ornament for to say masse. This did the interpreter declare truely vnto the iudge, for that experience might be made thereof. So the iudge forthwith commanded that it should be brought before him, the which being done, he caused it to be vndone, and he perused euery thing by it selfe, the which being strange vnto him, for that he neuer saw the like, he made signes vnto them that he receiued great contentment in the seeing of them, but specially of the images they brought: but that which did best please him was an ara or sopra-altar, of a blacke stone, the which did shine so bright that they might see themselues therein, as well as in a glasse. These friers did bring the same with them out of the kingdom of Mexico, whereas you haue great aboundance, but specially in the prouince of Mechuacan. So after that hee had seene all, and sawe that it was drie, without any signe or token that it had beene in the sea, hee called to remembrance the wordes of the interpreter in the name of the fathers, touching the storme wherein their shippe was cast away, and howe that they escaped by swimming, and put themselues in that small shippe in the which they came: and considering of the same, it seemed vnto him that they did fable in that which they had saide: so that he did replie and asked if it were true that which they had before declared, and howe it shoulde bee that their bookes and other things were not wet at the sea, which was an euident token and plainely to be vnderstood that they had fabled and told lies, and so he belieued they did in all the rest. The interpreter, fearing least by that argument his falshod would be discouered, he fel in talke a while with the friers, asking and answering things very different to that which the iudge had commanded him. Then he with a strange and sharpe boldnes answered to the difficulty proponed by the iudge, and said, That as all merchants at such time as their shippes are readie to sinke and to be lost, they doo procure first to saue such thinges as are of most estimation, forgetting all the rest: euen so these religious men did procure with great care and diligence to saue those books and that ornament, which is all their treasure, and yet for all their diligences done they lost a great number mo. All these fables and lies, after many dayes, the religious fathers came to haue the knowledge of.
The iudge did aske them if they brought any armor or weapons in their shippe? they answered that they were no men to bring them, neither according vnto their profession, they could not wear nor use them, for that they were religious, and professed other matters contrary vnto the vse of armor or weapon, promising and auowing unto God perpetual povertie and chastitie, and vnto their superior prelates obedience all the dayes of their liues. The iudge returned and asked them if they had any monie, and where withall they did eate and apparell themselues, and bought those bookes and ornaments? they answered, that all that which they had was giuen them by secular christians for God's sake whome they did serue, for that they should pray for them, and for the saluation of their soules.
The iudge, when he heard this, was greatly astonied, for that the interpreter did declare the truth, and made signes that he recieued griefe and had pittie on them, although he gaue not full credite to that which he heard, but said that he would go aborde their shippe, to see if they did say the truth, in not bringing anie armor or weapon, neither silver nor merchandize. This did hee straightwayes put in ure, and commaunded them that brought him in the litter chaire vpon their shoulders to go thitherward. All those people did beare him companie, as also a great number that were there ioyned togither to heare the examination of those strangers, and also the Spaniards he commanded to go next vnto him.
So that when he was in their shippe, set in his chaire, his ministers began to search the shippe in all places, both aboue and below, and could finde nothing but a little rice, which was left of that which they brought with them: they gaue the iudge to vnderstand thereof, who looking vpon the Spaniards, said that all they that were in the shippe might heare him. These do speak the truth, and they doo seeme vnto me to bee good people, and without any superstition, and without all doubte they doo come and will be after the manner of our religious men, according as is to be seene in the vniformitie of their apparell, as also in their heads and beardes. Then he beganne to demaunde of them certaine thinges, more of curiositie then of suspection; who answered him, casting up their eies vnto heauen, (for that their talke was thereof), and they saw that the iudge did greatly reioyce and had pleasure therein, for that it seemed that they had the heauens for their God, as they haue, by reason they did so much looke upwards. After this the iudge came foorth of the shippe, but the religious men remained behind at his commandment with his companions; and likewise hee commaunded certaine of those officers that came with him, to remaine about their ship at the water's side, for their guard, more for that none should doo to them any harme, then for any euil suspition they had of them.