In the house of this christened Chino they dined that day, as they did many more afterwarde, but every night they returned to their fregat to bed, for that they durst not leave their things alone, neither to lie out of their shippe, for that one of the iudges had so commanded.
CHAP. V.
The Spaniards are called before a iudge, who doth examine them, and offer them great favour; he dooth write vnto the vizroy, giuing credit vnto the persons who sendeth commission vnto a iudge called Aytao, for to examine their cause. The chiefe captaine of Machao dooth accuse them in saying that they were spies, and doth intreate of other strange matters.
Vpon Saint John baptist day they were called before a iudge, who (as after this did vnderstand), was a superiour vnto the other past; but when they came whereas he was in place of audience, his ministers did straight wayes commande them to kneele downe at such time as they came in sight of the iudge, which was vnto the religious men no small torment. He demanded of them the same that the others did, and they answered in briefe, that they came to preach the holy gospell, and requested him to giue them licence to execute the same, and to remain in that cittie of Canton for to learne the China tongue, whereby they might giue them to vnderstande and knowe the trueth of the heauen. The interpreter did falsifie their wordes as hee had doone vnto the other iudges, and said no more but for so much that fortune and foul weather had driuen them into that port, they would liue amongst them, although it were to serue them as slaves; for that if they woulde returne vnto the ilande of Luzon, or by another name called Manilla, they could not for that they knewe not the way, neither had they anie pilot to conduct them.
The iudge had pittie on them, and commanded that such thinges as they had in their shippe should be brought on land, for that he woulde see them; amongst the which, the thing which caused him most to maruell at was when hee sawe the images, and ara (or alter stone), of blacke jasper stone (of the which we have made large mention.) Hee requested of the Spaniards that they woulde giue them two images, which when they had given them they made shew to esteeme greatly of the present, for that they were things that they have not amongst them. He talked with them very friendly, and caused them to arise from the ground whereas they did kneele, and to shewe them the more fauour he caused to be giuen them to drinke, in his presence, a certaine beurage which they do vse made of certaine hearbs, and vse it for a comfortable thing for the heart, and is commonly vsed amongst them although they are not dry, and amongst the Chinos is a shew of particular fauour.
This iudge did more vnderstande the intent of the Spaniards than any of the other past, for their interpreter had tolde unto him that they woulde remaine in the countrie for to cure sicke persons and to bury the dead, the which they could do excellent well. When the iudge heard these wordes hee gaue with his hande a great stroke vppon the table that was before him, and said with showes of great wonder unto other inferior judges that were with him: Oh! what good people are these as it seemeth; it would be vnto mee a great ioy, if that I coulde of mine owne authoritie accomplish that which they do desire, but our lawes do forbid the same and that with great rigour. All this did their interpreter tel them afterward. At this time there entred into the place of audience whereas they were, a man of China, one of the common sort, al imbrewed with blood, crying out and making a great noise without any consort, who prostrating The Chinos most vpright in all their iudgements and in execution of iustice. himselfe upon the ground did complaine of other Chinos with whom he had fallen out, and was beaten and buffeted in cruell sort. The iudge when he saw him, did straight wayes command his officers to bring the offenders before him, the which was done with a trice, and they returned with the plaintife, bringing three other Chinos bound together by the armes, and as it seemed they were men of base sort. The judge incontinent made information wholly of all that passed, and condemned them without writing any letter, in twenty sotes[40] or strokes a peece. The officers forthwith took them with so great cruelty as though they had bin diuels, and threwe them vpon the ground with their bellies downwards to execute the sentence giuen by the iudge; and when they had pulled off their hose, they began to whippe them vpon the calues of their legges with a sot made of canes, in manner as hath beene told you before. The religious people who were present all this while, and taking pity on these condemned men fell downe at the feet of the iudge, and by signes and tokens did craue of him for the love of God, that his sentence might not be executed, who straightwayes commanded the executioners to cease, condiscending vnto the petition of the friers, and did pardon the offenders fifteene sottes or strokes of the twentie, wherein they were condemned.
[40] The translator seems to have made this word himself from the Spanish, "azote", a scourge.
The iudge did very much woonder at the pouertie of these religious men, and at the sharpe and asper apparell that they weare: but the chiefest thing that they did maruell at, was when that he vnderstoode howe they had passed the fleete of ships that were put in the straight for to defende and keepe the coast, and were neuer seene, which seemed vnto him a thing impossible, except it were by permission of the heauen.