The gentlemen who were to take part in the play made their entrance in the above manner with great dexterity. They paraded through both sides of the square, couple by couple, in excellent order.
After the entrance, they changed horses; the places were assigned in divisions of fours, and they took their spears. They engaged in a well-concerted play, one division against another, two and two. From that post went out another division against the one that was advancing. It lasted more than an hour, with great gallantry, without any misfortune or disaster happening, until from the plaza the deputies entered their midst and separated them. At that juncture a fiery bull was let out. The gentlemen made very skilful movements against this bull with their rejons, and against others that were run, until the sun’s light retired to illuminate the antipodes; and the gentlemen and ladies left the square, and the balconies and galleries [miradors], to return to reoccupy them on another occasion one week thereafter, when the same cañas matches were played, and bulls were run for four days in succession.[8] At this second cañas match, Don Fernando Galindo, a gentleman of Ecija, and at present infantry captain in this camp, entered instead of Don Diego Maldonado. On this occasion, the governor had another livery of blue cloth and silver, entirely covered with ornaments. The entrance was made as on the first day, and the play was in the same manner—thereby causing general rejoicing because the game had been so skilfully played, and has been so few times seen in this city.
[1] These festivities celebrated the accession to the throne of Felipe IV. Although they occurred in 1623, this account is placed here because written August 1, 1625.
[2] A reference to the celebrated university of Salamanca, and used synonymously with learning or skill.
[3] El Gran Capitan: an epithet applied to Gonsalvo de Cordova, commander-in-chief of the Spanish forces under Ferdinand of Castile, in recognition of his services in 1495–96 against the French armies in Calabria, Italy—defeating them there and elsewhere, and compelling them to withdraw from Italy. A treaty of peace between France and Spain was the result; it was signed at Marcoussis in August, 1498. The Neapolitan kingdom was divided between France and Spain in November, 1500; but quarrels soon arose between them, and their armies fought for its possession. Under the leadership of Cordova, Naples was conquered for Spain (1502–04). Cordova was born in 1453, and died in December, 1515.
[4] Evidently an allusion to the procession made at Manila, on certain occasions, in which the banner of the city was carried before the cabildo—to which allusions have been already made in various documents of this series.
[5] A kind of lance or spear, used by bull-fighters.
[6] The game of cañas was an equestrian sport engaged in by the nobility on the occasion of any special celebration. They formed various figures, which engaged in various contests. One side charged against the other, hurling their spears, from which their opponents guarded themselves with their shields.
[7] In olden times, empirical healers or physicians cured with this stone the pain or sickness called colic—hijada, as it was then written, now ijada.—Rev. Eduardo Navarro, O.S.A.