CHAP. XII.
They departe from the Ilandes of the Ladrones, and come vnto them of Luzon, or Philippinas by an other name, and doo declare the particular thoughts of those ilandes.
From this Iland of Ladrones nauigating towards the west, almost two hundred leagues, till they came to a mouth called of the Holy Ghost, they straightwaies doo enter into the Archipelago. Archipelago (which is an infinite number of ilands), almost all inhabited with their own naturall people; but many conquered by the Spaniardes, eyther by force of warre or friendship. Four score leagues from this is the citie of Manilla, The Island of Luzon, and citie of Manilla. which is vpon the Iland of Luzon, there whereas ordinarily dwelleth the gouernor of all those ilandes, and the officers of his maiestie: therein is a bishop and a cathedrall church. This citie standeth in fourteen degrees and a quarter, and round about the same there are so many ilandes, that vnto this day there is none that euer could number them: they do extend all of them northwest and southwest, and north and south, in so much that the one part stretcheth vnto the Straight of Sincapura which is fiue and twentie leagues from Malaca, and the other part vnto the Malucos, and other ilandes, whereas they gather a great number of cloues, Great mountains of pepper, cloues, and ginger. pepper, and ginger, of the which there are great mountaines full. The first that discouered these ilands were Spaniards, which came to them in the company of the famous Magellanes, and made no conquest of them, for that they knew better to nauigate then to conquer; by reason whereof, after they had discouered and passed the straight (which vnto this day beareth the title of his name) and came vnto the Ilande of Zubu, whereas they did baptise certaine of the inhabitance, and afterwards in a banket, the same ilanders did kill him and other forty of his companions, which was the occasion that Sebastian de Guetaria, a naturall Biskin borne,[69] for to escape with his life, did put himselfe in a shippe that remained of the voyage (which afterwards was named the Victorie), and in her and with a few people that helped him, with the fauour of God he came vnto Siuell, hauing compassed the whole world, from the Orient vnto the Ponient, a thing which caused vnto all men great admiration, but in particular vnto the Emperor Charles the Fift of famous memorie, who after he had giuen many gifts and fauours vnto the said Sebastian de Guetaria, hee gaue order that a new armie should be made ready, and to returne againe in demande of the said ilands, and to discouer that new world.
[69] A native of Biscay.
So when all things were in a readinesse for to depart on their voyage (the which was done with great breuitie) they ordained for generall of all that fleete one Villa Lobos, commanding him to go by the Nueua Espania. This Villa Lobos arriued at the Ilands of Malucas, and at those of Terrenate, and at other ilands ioyning vnto them, the which ilands were laid to gage by the aforesaid emperor vnto the crowne of Portugal.
In these ilands they had great wars by meanes of the Portugals, and seeing themselues with little helpe and small resistance for to go forwards with their conquests, they left it off, and went to the most part of them with the aforesaide Portugals vnto the India of Portugall, from whence afterwards they sent them as prisoners unto the said king of Portugall, as offenders that had entred his ilands without his licence: who did not onely leaue to do them any harme, but did intreate them very well and sent them vnto their owne country of Spaine, and gaue them al thinges necessary for their iourney, and that in aboundance.
Then certaine yeares after, Don Philip king of Spaine being very willing that the discouering shoulde go forwards, which the emperor his father had so earnestly procured, sent and commanded Don Luys de Velasco, who was his vizroy of the Nuoua Espania, that he would ordaine an army and people for to returne and discouer the said ilands, and to sende in the said fleete, for gouernor of all that should bee discouered, Miguel Lopez de Legaspi, who did accomplish all that his maiestie had commanded, and made the discouerie thereof in such order, as in the first relation of the entrie of the fathers of the order of Saint Austen into the China dooth more at large appeare.
Of ancient time these ilands were subiect vnto the king of China, vntill such time as hee did deliuer them vp of his owne free will, for such reasons as were spoken off in the first part of this historie: and that was the occasion that when the Spaniards came vnto them, they were without lorde or heade, or anie other to whome they shoulde showe duetie, but hee which had most power and people did most command: so that this (and that there were so many of equal power) was the occasion that ciuill warres continued, without any respect of nature, kinred, or any other duety, but like vnto brute beastes, killing, spoiling, and captiving one another, the which was a great helpe vnto the Spaniards for to subiect that countrie with so great ease vnto the king, and called them the Ilands Philippinas in respect of his name. They did vse amongst them to make captiues and slaues such as they did take in vnlawfull wars, and for trifling matters, the which God did remedie by the going thither of the Spaniards: for you should haue a man with fortie or fiftie other friends in his company, or seruants, that vpon a sodaine would go and set vpon a small village of poore people and vnprouided, and take and binde them all, and carrie them away for slaues without any occasion or reason, and make them to serue them all the dayes of their life, or else sell them to other ilands. And if it so chanced that one did lende vnto another a basket or two of rice (the which might bee woorth a ryall of plate), with condition to returne it againe within ten dayes; if the debter did not pay it the same day, the next day following he should pay it dooble, and afterward to double it euery day so long as he did keepe it, which in conclusion the debt would grow to be so great, that, to pay the same, he is forced to yeeld himselfe for captiue and slaue.
But vnto all such as were captiued in this order, or in such like, the king of Spaine hath commanded to giue libertie; yet this iust commandement is not in euery point fulfilled and accomplished, because such as should execute the same haue interest therein. All these ilandes were gentiles and idolaters, but now there is amongest them many thousands baptised, vnto whom the king hath shewed great mercie, in sending vnto them the remedie for their soules in so good time: for if the Spaniards had stayed any more yeares, they had beene all Moores at this day, for that there were come vnto the Ilande of Burneo some of that sect that did teach them, and lacked little, for to worship that false prophet Mahomet, whose false, peruerse, and corrupt memory, was with the gospell of Christ easily rooted out.