BIBLIOTHECA AUGUSTANA

 

Ferdinando Magellano

1480 - 1521

 

Relazione del primo viaggio

intorno al mondo

 

1519 - 1522

 

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Aprile 1521

 

Vno de questi populi ne porte force vna scudela de rizo cō octo o dieze figue ligaty insieme þ baratarli in vno cortello ɋ valeua iL piu tre catrini eL capo vedendo que questo nō voleua alto Senon vno cortello lo chiamo þ vedere piu cose misse mano a la borsa et li volce dare þ qelle cose vno realL lui noL volsi lui mostro vno ducato mancho lo accepto al fine li volce dare vno dopionne de duy ducati nō volce mai alto ɋ vn corte lo et cussi li lo fece dare Andando vno de li nȓi in terra þ tore acqua vno de questi li volce dare vno coronna pontina de oro masiçio grāde como vna colona þ sey filce de cristalino ma iL capo non volce ɋ la bara tasse açio que in questo principio sapessero ɋ pritiauamo piu la nȓa mercantia ɋ Lo suo oro.

Questi populi sonno gentili vanno nudi et de pinti portano vno pezo de tella de arbore intorno le sue vergonie Sonno grandissimi beuitori le sue femi ne vanno vestite de tella de arbore de la cinta in giu cō li capili negri fina in terra anno forate le orechie et pienne de oro. Questa gente sempre masticanno vno fruto ɋ Lo quiamano Areca e como vno pero lo taglianno in quato parti et poi lo volueno nele foglie deL suo arburo ɋ le nominano betre sonno como foglie di moraro cō vno poco de calcina et quando le anno bē masticate le sputano fora fanno diuentare la boca rocissima Tucti li populi de questa parte deL mondo le vzanno þ che rinfrescali molto eL core Se restasseno de vzarle morirebenno in questa izolla sonno cany gati porci galine capre rizo gengero cochi figui naranzi limoni miglio panizo sorgo cera et molto oro sta de Latitudine in noue gradi et dui tersi aL artico et cento et sesanta dui de longitudine della linea de La ripartitiōe et vinti cinque legue longi de la acquada et se chiama Mazaua

Stessemo sette giorni quiui poi pigliassemo la via deL maistrale passando fa cinqƺ ysolle cioe Ceylon bohol canighan baybai et gatighan in questa ysola de gatigan sonno barbastili grandi como aquille þ ɋ era tardi ne amaçassemo vno era como vna galina aL mangiare ge sonno colombi tortore papagali et certi vcelli negri grandi como galine cō la coda lōga fanno oui grandi como de ocqua li meteno soto la sabia þ lo grā caldo li crea Quando sonno nasciuti alzano la arena et vieneno fora questi oui sonno bony de mangiare. De mazaua agatighan sonno vinti leghe partendone da gatighan aL ponente iL re de mazaua non ne puote seguiȓ þ che lo espectassemo circa tre ysolle cioe polo ticobon et pozon quando eL gionse molte se marauiglio deL nȓo nauigare Lo capo gñale lo fece mō tare nela sua naue cō alguni soi principali dilque hebero piacere et cossi andassemo in zubu da gatighan azubu sonno quindice legue.

Domeniga a sete de apille amezo di intrassemo neL porto de Zubu passando per molti vilagij vedeuamo molte caze facte sopra li arbori Apropinquādone ala cita Lo capo gñale comando le naui sinbanderasseno furono Calate le velle et poste amodo de bataglia et scarico tuta lartigliaria þ ilque questi populi hebero grandissima paura Lo capo mando vno suo alieuo cō lo interprete inbassiatore aL re de Zubo. Quando ariuorono nela cita trouorono Jnfiniti huomini insieme cō Lo re tuti paurosi þ le bombarde linterprete li disse questo esere nȓo costume intrando in simili luogui in segnio de pace et amisitia et þ honnorare lo re deL luogo scaricauamo tuctele bombarde eL re et tucti li suoi se asegurorono et fece dire ali nosti þ lo suo gouuernatore ɋ voleuamo linterprete rispose como eL suo signiore era capo deL magiore re et principe fosse neL mondo et ɋ andaua adiscouriȓ malucho ma þ la sua bonna fama Como haueua Jntezo daL re de mazaua era venuto solamente þ vizitarlo et pigliare victuuaglia cō la sua merchadantia li disse ɋ in bonna hora fosse venuto ma ɋ haueua questa vzansa tutte le naui ɋ intrauano neL porto suo pagauāo tributu et ɋ nō eranno quato gi che vno Juncho de Ciama cargato doro et de schiaui li haueua dato tributo et þ segnio di questo li mostro vno mer chadante de çiama que era restato þ merchadantare oro et squiaui Lo interprete li disse como eL suo signiore þ essere capo de tanto grā re non pagaua tributo ad alguno signiore deL mondo et se voleua pace pace ha uerebe et se non guerra guera Alhoro eL moro merchadante disse aL re Cata raia chita çioe garba ben signiore questi sonno de qelli ɋ anno conquistato Calicut malaca et tuta lindia magiore Si bene si li fa ben se a se male male et pegio como anno facto a calicut et amalaca linterprete Jnteso lo tuto et dissegli qeL re de suo signiore era piu potente de gente et de nauj ɋ Lo re de portogalo et era re de spagnia et Jmperatoȓ de tuttj li xpiani et se nō voleua esserli amicho li mandaria vnalta fiata tanta gente qeL destrueriāo iL moro naro ogni cosa aL re alhora li disse se consigliarebe cō li sui et nel di seguente li risponderebe poy fece portare vna colatiōe de molte viuāde tute de carne poste in piati de porcelane cō molti vazi di vino data La Colatiōe li nosti retornoronno et ne dissero lo tuto iL re de mazaua ɋ era lo pimo dopo questo re et signiore de alcante ysolle ando in tera þ dire al re la grande cortezia deL nȓo capo genneralle.

Luni matina iL nȓo scriuāo insieme cō linterprete andorono in zubu vene iL re con li sui principali in piaza et fece sedere li nosti apresso lui li dise se piu duno capo era in qƺsta compania et seL voleua lui pagasse tributo aL imperatore suo Sor. rispose de nō ma voleua solamente merchadantase cō lui et non con alti disse ɋ era contento et se Lo capo nȓo voleua essere suo amicho li mandasse von pocho de sangue deL suo bracio drito et cossi farebe luy þ segnio de piu vera amisitia respose ɋ Lo faria poy Lo re li disse como tucti li capi ɋ veniuāo quiui se dauano pñti luno cō lalto et se Lo nȓo capo olui doueua comensare linterprete li disse poy ɋ lui voleua mantegnire questo costume cominciasse et cussi comenso.

Marti matina iL re de mazaua con lo moro venne ale naui saluto lo capitano gñale da parte diL re et discelli como iLre de Zubu faceua adunare piu victuuaglia poteua þ darnela et como mandarebe dopo disnare vno suo nepote con dui otre de sui principali þ fare la pace. lo capo gñale fece armare vno de le sue þprie arme et feceli dire como tuti nuy combateuamo de qella sorta; iL moro molto si spauento iL capo li disse nō si spauentasse perche le nȓe ar me eranno piaceuoli ali amici et aspere ali nemici et cosi como li fazoli asciugano yl sudore cosi le nȓe arme ateranno et destrugeno tuti li aduersarj et maleuoli de La nȓa fede fece questo acio el moro ɋ pareua essere piu astuto de li alti lo dicesse aL re.

Dopo disnare vene ale naui Lo nipote deL re ɋ era principe coL re de mazaua iL moro iL gouuernatore et iL barizello magiore cō octo principali þ fare La pace con noi Lo capo gñale sedendo in vna cadedra de veluta rossa li prin cipali in sedie de corame et li alti in tera soura store li disse þ Lo interprete se Lo suo costume era de parlare in secreto houero in publico et Se questo principe col re de mazaua haueuāo potere de fare la pace risposero ɋ parla vano in publico et ɋ costoro haueuāo iL potere de far la pace Lo capo disse molte cose soura la pace et qeL pregaua ydio la confirmasse in cielo discero que may nō haueuāo aldite cotalle parolle et que pigliauāo grā piacere a vdir le Vedendo Lo capo ɋ questo volenti eri ascoltauāo et respondeuāo li comincio dire cose per indurli ala fede: Domando qaL dopo la morte deL re succedesse aLa sa. rispose ɋ Lo re nō haueua figlioli ma figliole et ɋ questo suo nipote haueua þ moglie la magiore percio era Lo principe et quando li padri et madri eranno vequi non si honorauāo piu mali figlioli li comandauāo lo capo li disse como ydio fece Lo ciello La terra Lo mare et tucte le alte cose et como inposse se douesseno honnorare li padri et madri et qi altramẽte faceua era condempnato neL fuoco eterno et como tuti descendeuāo de adam et eua nosti primi parenti et como haueuamo Lanima in mortalle et molte altre cose pertinenti ala fede tuti alegri li suplicorono volesse lasarli dui homini ho aL meno vno acio li amaystrasse ne La fede et che li farebẽo grande honnore gli respose ɋ alhora nō poteua lasciarli alguno ma se vole uāo essere xpiano Lo prete nȓo li baptezarebe et ɋ vnalta fiata menaria preti et frati queli insegniarebẽo la fede nȓa risposero que pima voleuāo parlare al re et poy diuentarebenno xpiani lagrimassemo tuti þ la grande alegreza Lo capo li disce ɋ non ce facero xpiani þ paura ne þ compiacerne ma vo lontariamẽte et acoloro ɋ voleuāo viuere secondo la sua lege nō li farebe facto dispiacer alguno mali xpiani serianno meglio visti et caregiati ɋ li alti Tuti gridaronno aduna voce ɋ nō se faceuāo xpiani þ paura ne þ compiacerne ma þ sua spontanea volontate Alhora li disse ɋ si deuentauāo xpiani gli Lassarebe vna armatura þ che cussi li era stato inposto deL suo re et como nō poteuāo vzare cō le sue donne esendo gentilli senza grandissimo pecato et como li aseguraua ɋ essendo xiani non li aparerebe piu eL domonio sinon neL ponto extremo de la sua morte diceno ɋ no sapeuano responderli þ le sue belle parolle ma se rimeteuano nele sue manj et facesse de loro como de soy fidelissimi seruitori Lo capo piangendo li abrazo et agiungendo vna mano del principe et vna deL re fra le sue li disse þ la fede portaua a dio et alimperatoȓ suo signiore et þ Lo habito ɋ haueua li prometeua ɋ li daua la pace þpe tua col re despagnia resposero que lo simille prometeuāo Conelusa la pace Lo capo fece dare vna colatiōe poy lo principe et re presentarono aL capo da parte deL suo re alquanti cestoni de rizo porci capre et galine et li discero li perdonasce þ cio taL cose erano pocque avno simille alui Lo capo dono aL principe vno panno biancho di tella sotilissima vno bonnet rozo aL quante felce de christalino et vno biquier dorato de vetro. li vetri sonno molto apreciati in queste parte. AL re di mazaua nō li deto alguno pñte þ che gia li aueua dato vna veste de cambaya con altre cose et ali altri aqi vna cosa aqi vnalto. Mando poy aL re de zubu þ mi et vnalto vna veste de seta gialla et morella aguisa Turchesca vno bonnet roso fino alquante filce de cristalino posto ogni cosa in vno piato dargento et dui biqui eri dorati in mano Quando focemo nela cita trouassemo Lo re in suo palatio cō molti homini ɋ se deua in tera soura vna stora di palma haueua sola mente vno panno de tella de bombazo dinanzi ale sue þgonie vno velo intorno lo capo Lauorato aguchia vna Colana aL colo de grā precio due squione grande de oro tachate ale orecquie cō petre preciose atorno era grasso et picolo et depinto cō lo fuocho a diuerse maniere mangiaua in tera soura vnalta stora oui de bissascutelaza posti in dui vazi de porcelañ et haueua dinanzi quato vazi piennj de vino de palma serati con erbe odiri fere et ficati catro cannuti con ogni vno cō questi beueua. Facta la debita reuerentia linterprete li disse como lo suo signiore lo rengratiaua molto deL suo pñte et que li mandaua questo nō þ il suo ma þ lo trinsicho amore li portaua li vestessemo la veste gli ponessemo iL bonnet in capo et li dessemo le altre cose et poy basandoli vetri et ponendoli soura lo capo le li presentai et facendo lui eL similli li accepto poi iL re ne fece māgiare de qelli oui et bere con qelli canuti li alti sui in questo mezo gli dissero lo parlamto deL capo sopa la pace et lo exortamento þ farli xpiani iL Re ne volce te ner secho acene li dicessemo non poteuamo aloro restare pigliata la lisentia iL principe ne meno seco a casa sua doue sonauano catro fanciulle vna de tamburo amodo nȓo ma era posta in tera Vnalta daua vno legnio facto alcanto grosso neL capo con tella de palma in due borquia pichate mo in la vna mo in lalta Lalta in vna borquia grande col medesimo modo. La vltima cō due brochiete in māo dando luna ne lalta faceua vno suaue sonno tanto atempo sonauāo que pareua hauesseno grā ragion deL canto Queste eranno asay belle et bian que casi como le nostre et cosi grande eranno nude sinon ɋ haueuāo tella de arbore de la cinta fina aL ginoquio et algune tute nude col pichieto dele orechie grande con vno cerquieto de legnio dentro quelo tene tondo et largo cō li capeli grandi et negri et cō vno velo picolo atorno iL capo et sempre discalce iL principe ne fece balare cō tre tutte nude merendassemo et dapoy venissemo ale naui Queste borchie sonno de metalo et se fanno ne La regiōe deL signio magno ɋ e detta La China Quiui le vzanno Como nuy le campane et le chiamano aghon.

Mercore matina þ essere morto vno deli nosti nella nocte passata linterprete et yo andassemo adomander aL re doue lo poteriamo se pelire trouassemo Lo re aCompagniato de molti homini acui facta la debita reuerensia li lo disse rispose se io et li mey vasalli semo tucti deL tuo signiore Quāto magiormte debe essere la terra et li dice como voleuamo consacrare il luoco et meterlj vna croce rispose que era molto contento et ɋ la voleua adorare como nuy alti fu sepolto lo morto nela piaza aL meglio potessemo þ darli bō exempio et poy la consacrassemo sultardi ne sepelissemo vno alto portassemo molta merchantia in terra et la metessemo in vna casa qaL el re Latolse soura sua fede et Quatro homini ɋ eranno restati per merchadantare in grosso. Questi populi viueno cō Justitia peso et mezura amano la pace lotio et laquiete anno bilancie de legnio lo legnio a vna corda neL mezo cō LaqaL setiene duno capo e piombo et delalto segni como carti terci et librȓ Quando voleno pezare pigliano la belansia cħ e cō tre filli como le nȓe et la meteno soura li segni et cusi pesano Justo anno mezure grandissime senza fondo le Jouane Jogano de Zampognia fate Como le nȓe et le chiamano Subin le case sonno de legni de taule et de cane edificate sopa pali grossi alti de terra ɋ bisognia andarui dento cō scalle et anno camare como le nȓe soto le case teneno li porci capre et galine se trouono quiui corniolli grandi belli aL vedere ɋ amazano le balene leqalle le Jnguiotano viui Quando loro sonno neL corpo veneno fuora deL suo coperto et li magiano eL core Questa gente le trouano poi viui apresso deL core dele ballenne morte Quenti anno denti la pelle negra iL coperto biancho et La carne Sonno boni da mangiare et le chiamano laghan.

Vennere li mostrassemo vna botega pienna de le nȓe merchantie þ ilque restoronno molto admirati þ metalle fero et lalta merchantia grossa ne dauano horo þ le altre menute ne dauāo riso porci et capre cō altre vi tuualgie Questi populi ne dauano x peci de oro þ xiiij libre de ferro vno pezo e circo duno ducato emezo Lo capo gñale non volse se pigliasse tropo oro perque sarebe stato alguno marinaro ɋ hauerebe dato tuto Lo suo þ vno poco de oro et haueria disconciato Lo trafigo þ semper Sabato þ haueȓ þmesso Lo re aL capo de farsi xpiano ne la dominicha se fece ne la piaza ɋ era sacrata vno tribunalle adornato de tapisseria et rami de palma þ baptizarlo et mandoli adire ɋ nella matina nō hauese paure dele bombarde per cio era nosto costume ne le feste magiore descaricaȓ senza pietre.

Domeniga matina a Quatordize de apille andassemo in terra Quaranta hōj cō duy homini tucti armati denanzi aLa bandiera realle Quante dismō tassemo se tira tucta lartigliaria Questi populi siguiāo diqua et de la Lo capo et lo re se abraciorono li disse ɋ la bandera realle nō si portaua in terra sinon cō cinquanta homini Como erano li dui armati et cō cinquanta schiopeteri ma þ lo suo grande amore cosi la haueua portata poi tuti alegri andassemo presso aL tribunalle Lo capo et Lo re sedeuāo in cathedre de veluto rosso et morello li principalli in cussini li alti soura store lo Capo disse aL re þ lo interprete ringratiasse ydio þ cio lo haueua inspirato a farse xpano et que vincerebe piu facilmente li sui nemisi ɋ prima rispose ɋ voleua essere xpiano ma alguni sui principali nō voleuano ho bedire þ che diceuano essere cussi homini como lui alhora lo nȓo capo fece chiamare tucti li principali deL re et disseli senon hobediuāo aL re como suo re li farebe amazare et daria la sua roba aL re Risposeno lo hebedirebẽo disse aL re se andaua in spagnia retornarebe vnalta volta cō tanto potere ɋ lo faria Lo magior re de qelle parte per che era stato pimo a voler farse xpiano leuando li many aL ciello Lo rengratio et pregolo alguni de Ly soy rimanesse açio meglio lui et li sui populi focero instructi nelafede Lo capo respose que þ Contentarlo li Lassarebe duy ma voleua menar seco dui fanciulli deli principalli acio in parasseno la linga nȓa et poi aLa ritornato sapessero dire aquesti altri le cose despagnia se misse vna croce grande neL mezo de la piaza Lo capo li disse sesi voleuāo far xpiani Como haueuāo deto nelli giornj passati li bisogniaua bru sare tucti li sui ydoli et neL luoco loro metere vna croce et ogni di cō le mane Joncte adorarla et ogni matina neL vzo farsi lo segnio de La croce mostrandoli como li faceua et ogni hora al meno de matina douesseno veni re a questa croce et adorarla in genoquioni et qeL ɋ haueuāo Ja deto voleseȓ cō le bonne opere confirmarlo el re cō tucti li alti voleuāo confirmare lo tucto lo capo gñale li disse como sera vestito tuto de biancho þ mostrarli Lo suo sincero amore verso de loro risposero þ li sui dolci paroli nō saperli respondere. Con queste bonne parolle lo capo condusse lo re þ la māo suL tribunalle þ baptizarlo et disseli se chiameria don carlo como alinperatoȓ suo signiore aL principe don fernando como aL fratello delinperatoȓ al Re de mazaua Johanni a vno principalle fernando como iL principalle nosto çioe Lo capo. Al moro xoforo poy ali alti aqi vno nome et aqi vno alto forenno baptizati inanzi messa cinque cento hominj Vdita la messa lo capo conuito adisnar seco lo re cō altri principali nō volsero ne acompagniarono fina ala riua le naui scaricorono tutte le bombarde et abrazandose pressero Combiatto.

Dopo disnare il prete et alguni altri andassemo in terra þ baptizar La reyna laqalle venne cō quaranta dame la conducessemo sopa lo tribunalle facendola sedere soura vno cossino et lalte Zirca ella fin qeL prete Sapara li mostray vno Jmagine de La nȓa donna vno bambino di legnio belissimo et vna croce þ il que li venne vna contrictiōe ɋ piangendo domando lo batesimo la nomina semo Johanna como la madre de linperatoȓ sua figliola moglie deL principe Catherina la reyna de mazaua lizabeta a le altre ognuna lo suo nome bap tizassemo octo cento anime fra homini donne et fanciulli la regina era Jouene et bella tuta coperta duno panno biancho et nero haueua la bocha et le onghie rosissime in capo vno capello grande de foglie de palma amodo de solana cō vna coronna in circa de le medesme foglie como qella deL papa ne may va in alguno locho senza vna de queste ne demando iL banbino þ tenerlo in locho de li soi ydoli et poy se parti sultardi iL re et la reyna cō asayssime personne vennerono aL lito lo capo alhora fece tirare molte trombe de fuocho et bombarde grosse þ ilche pigliaronno grandisimo piaceȓ eL capo et lo re se chiamanāo fratelli Questo re se chiamaua raia humabō Jnanzi pasasseno octo giorni forenno baptizati tucti de questa ysola et dele altre alguni brusassemo vna vila þ nō vollere hobedire aL re ne a noy la qalle era in vna ysola vicina aquesta ponessemo quiui la croce þ que questi populi eranno gentilli se fossero stato mori li haueressemo posto vna colonna in segnio de piu dureza þ che li mori sonno asay piu duri þ conuertirli cha li gentilli.

Jn questi giorni lo capo gñalle andaua ogni di in terra þ vdire messa et diceua aL re molte cose de La fede La regina vene vno giorno cō molta pompa ad vdir la messa tre donzelle li andauāo dinanzi con tre de li sui capelli in māo eLa era vestita de negro et biancho cō vno velo grande de seta trauersato cō liste de oro in capo ɋ li copriua li spalle et cō Lo suo capello asaissime donne la seguiuāo leqalle erāo tute nude et discalce senon Jntorno le parte þgoniose haueuāo vno paniocolo de tella de palma et atorno lo capo vno velo picollo et tucti li capilli sparsi La regina facta la reuerentia aL altare sedete supa vno cossino Lauorato di seta inanzi se comensasse la messa iL capo la ba gnio cō alquante sue dame de hacqua roza muschiata molto se delectauāo de talle odore sapendo Lo capo qeL bambino molto piaceua a la reyna liel dono et li disse Lo tenesse in Locho de li sui ydoli þ che era in memoria deL figloL de dio ringratiandolo molto lo accepto.

Vno giorno lo capo gñale inanzi messa fesse venire lo re vestito cō la sua vesta de seta et li principali de la cita iL fradello deL re padre deL principe Se chiamaua bendara vno alto fratello deL re Cadaio et alguni Simiut sibuaia Sisacai et maghalibe et molti alti que lasso þ non essere longo fece tuti ɋsti Jurare essere hobedienti aL suo re et li basaronno la mano poi fece qeL re dessere sempre hobediente et fidelle aL re despagnia cosi lo Juro alhora iL capo cauo la sua spada inanzi la ymagina de nȓa donna et disse aL re Quando cossi se Juraua piu presto doueriasi morire que aromper vno simiL Juramẽto siqueL Juraua þ questa ymagine þ la vita de limperatoȓ suo se. et þ il suo habito desserle sempre fidelle facto questo lo capo donno aL re vna cathedra de veluta rosso dicendoli ounque andasse semþ La facesse portare dinanzi avn suo piu porpinque et mostroli Como La si doueua portare respose Lo farebe volentierj þ amore suo et disce aL capo Como faceua far vna Joya þ donarlila laqaL era due schione doro grande þ tacare ali oreqie due þ metere ali brazi Soura li gomedi et due altre þ pore ali piedi soura le calcagnie et altre petre preciose þ adornare le orechie Questi sonno li piu belli adornamẽti possano vzare li re de queste bande liqalli sempre vano descalci con vno panno de tella de la cinta fina aL ginochio.

JL capo gñale vno Jorno disse al re et ali alti þ qaL cagionne nō bruzauāo li soi ydoli como li haueuāo þmesso esendo christiannj et þ che se Ly sacrificaua tanta Carne risposero qeL ɋ faceuāo non Lo faceuāo þ loro ma þ vno infermo açio li ydoli li dasse salute laqeL non parlaua Ja cato giorni era fratello deL principe et Lo piu valente et Sauio de La ysolo Lo capo gli disse ɋ brussasero le ydoli et credesseno in christo et se linfermo se baptisasse subito garirebe et se cio nō foce li tagliassero Lo capo alhora alhora rispose lo re lo farebe þ che varamẽte credeua in christo facessemo vna þcessione dela piaza fino aLa casa de linfermo aL meglio potessemo oue Lo trouassemo que non poteua parlare ne mouerse Lo baptizassemo cō due sue mogliere et x donzelle poi lo capo li fece dire como staua subito parlo et disse como þ la graca de nȓo sor. staua assay benne Questo fu vno manifessimo miraculo nelli tempi nosti Quando Lo capo Lo vdi parlare rengratio molto ydio et aloro li fece beuere vna mandolata ɋ gia laueua facta fare þ lui poi mandogli vno matarazo vno paro de lensoli vna Coperta de panno Jallo et vno cussino et ogni giorno fin ɋ fo sanno li mādo mandolattj acqua rosa oleo rozato et algune conserue de zucaro nō stete cinque giorni qeL comincio a andare fece bruzare vno ydolo ɋ teniuāo ascoso certe vecquie in casa sua in pntia deL re et tuto Lo populo et fece disfare molti tabernacoli þ la riua deL mare neliqalli mangiauāo la carne consacrata Loro medesimi Cridarono castiglia castiglia li rouinauāo et disseno se dio li prestaua vita brusarebenno quanti ydoli potesse trouare et se benne fussero in casa deL re. Questi ydoli sonno de legnio Concaui senza li parti de drieto anno Ly brazi aperti et li piedi voltati in suso con le gambe aperte et Lo volto grande cō quato denti grandissimj como porci cingiari et sonno tucti depintj

Jn Questa ysola sonno molte ville li nomi de leqalle et deli suoi et deli sui principali sonno questi Cinghapola li sui principali Cilaton Ciguibucan Cimaningha Cimatichat CicanbuL Vna mandaui iL suo principalle apanoaan Vna lalan iL suo principalle theteu Vna lalutan iL suo principalle Tapan Vna cilumai et vnalta lubucun Tucti qƺsti ne hobediuāo et ne dauāo victuuaglia et tributo Apresso questa yzola de zubu ne era vna ɋ se chiamaua matan laqaL faceua Lo porto doue eramo iL nome dela sua villa era matan li sui principali zula et Cilapulapu Quella villa ɋ bruzassemo era in questa yzola et Se chiama ua bulaia

Açio que vȓa ilLma sa sapia le Cerimonie ɋ vzanno Costoro in benedire Lo porco primamente Sonano qelle borchie grandi poi se porta tre piati grādj dui cō roze et fogace de rizo et miglio cote et riuolte in foglie con peche brustolato. Lalto con panne de Cambaia et due banderete di palma Vno pano de Cambaia se distende in terra poi veneno duy femine Vequissime ciascuna con vno tronbonne de cana in māo Quando sonno montate suL panno fanno reuerentia aL solle poi se vestenno cō li pannj Vna se pone vno faciollo ne La fronte con dui cornj et piglia vnalto faciolo ne le manj et balando et sunando con qello chiama iL solle lalta piglia vna de qelle banderete et balla et suona col suo trōbonne ballō et chiamāo cussi vno pocho fra se dicendo molte cose aL solle Quella deL faciolo piglia lalta bandereta et lascio Lo faciolo et ambe due sonando cō li trombonj gran pezo balanno intorno Lo porco ligato Quella dali corni sempre parla tacitamẽte aL solle et qeLa alta li risponde poy aqella de li corni li e apresentato vna taça de vino et balando et dicendo certe parolle et lalta respondendoli et facendo vista cato ho cinque volte de beuere eL vino sparge qello soura eL core deL porcho poy subito torna aballare a Questa medesima vien dato vna lancia Ley vibrandola et dicendo alquante parolle sempre tute due balando et mostrā do cato ho cinque volte de dare [de dare: doublet in original MS.] cō la lancia neL core aL porcho con vna subbita presteza Lo passa da parte aparte presto si sera la ferita con erba qe'lla ɋ amazato iL porcho ponendose vna torsa accesa in boca lasmorza laqalle sta sempre accesa in queste Ceremonie Lalta coL capo deL trombonne bagniandolo neL sangue de porcho va sanguinando coL suo dito La fronte pima ali soi mariti poy ali alti ma nō veñeroño may a noi poy se disuesteno et vano amangiare Quelle cose ɋ sonno nelli piati et Conuitano Senon femine Lo porcho si pella cō lo fuocho sique ni suno alto que Le vequie consacrano La carne di porcho et nō La magiauāo se non fosse morta de questa sorte.

Questi populi vano nudi portano solamente vno pezo de tella de palma otorno Le sue vergonie grandi et picoli hanno passato iL suo membro circa dela testa de luna parte alalta con vno fero de oro houero de stanio grosso como vna penna de ocha et in vno capo et lalto deL medesimo fero alguni anno Como vna stella con ponte soura li capi alti como vna testa de chiodo da caro asaissime volte Lo volsi vedere da molti cosi veqi Como Joueni þ che nō lo potteua credere neL mezo dil fero e vn buso þ ilqalle vrinano iL fero et le stelle semp stanno ferme Loro diceno ɋ le sue moglie voleno cussi et se fossero de altra sorte nō vzariano cō elli quando questi voleno vzare cō le femine Loro medisime Lo pigliano nō in ordine et Cominciano pian piano a metersi dentoo pimo qella stella de soura et poy Lalta Quanto edento diuenta in ordine et cusi sempre sta dento fin que diuenta molle perche altramẽti nō Lo porianno cauare fuora. Questi populi vzanno questo þche sonno de debille natura anno Quante moglie voleno ma vna principalle Se vno deli nȓi andaua in tera cosi dedi Como de nocte ogni uno Lo Conuitaua que mangiasse et qeL beuesse Le sue viuande sonno mezo cote et molto salate beueno spesso et molto con qelli sui Cannuti dali valzi et duro cinqƺ osey hore vno suo mangiare Le donne amauāo asay piu noy que questi atucti da sey anny in su apoco apoco li apreno la natura þ cagion de qelli sui membrj.

Quando vno deli sui principali emorto li vzanno queste Cerimonie pima mente tutte le donne principale de la terra vano ala casa deL morte in mezo dela casa sta lo morto in vna casa in torno la casa poneno corde a mo do duno stecato neliqali atachano molti ramy de arbore in mezo de ogni ramo e vno panno de bonbaso aguisa de pauigliōe Soto liqualli sedeanno le donne piu principali tute coperte de panne bianqi de bombaso per vna donzella þ ogni vna ɋ li faceua vento cō vno sparauentolo di palma le alte sedeanno intorno la camera meste poy era vna ɋ tagliaua apoco apoco cō vno cortello li capilli aL morto vnalta ɋ era stata la moglie principale deL morto giaceua soura lui et giungeua la sua boca le sue many et li sui piedi con qelli deL morto. Quando qella tagliaua li capilj questa piangeua et Quando restaua de tagliarli questa Cantaua atorno la Camera erano molti vazi di porcelanna con fuoco et supa qello mira storac et belgioui ɋ faceuano olere la casa grandemẽte lo teneno in casa cinque asey giorni cō Queste Cerimonie Credo sia onto de canfora poi Lo sepelisseno cō La medesima casa Serata con quiodi de legnio in vno legnio coperto et circundato de legni. ogni nocte in questa cita circa de la meza nocte veniua vno vccelo negrissimo grande Como vno Coruo et nō era cussi presto ne le case cheL gridaua þ ilque tucti li canj vrlauāo et duraua quato ocinque ore queL suo gridare et vrlare nō ne volseno may dire la cagiō de questo.

Vennere a vintisey de aqilLe Zula principale de qella ysola matan mando vno suo figliolo con due capre apresentarle aL capo gñale et dicendoli Como li mandaua tuta sua þmessa ma þ cagion de lalto principalle Cilapulapu ɋ nō voleua hobedire aL re despagnia nō haueua potuto mandarglila et que neLa nocte seguente li mandasse solamente vno batello pienno de homini þ che lui li aiutaria et combateria Lo capo gñale delibero de andarui cō tre batelli Lo pregassemo molto nō volesse vegnire ma lui Como bon pastore non volse abandonare lo suo grege. Ameza nocte se partissemo sexanta homini armati de corseletti et celade insieme col re xpiano iL principi et alguni magiori et vinti o trenta ba languai et tre hore inansi Lo Jorno ariuassemo a matan Lo capo non volse Combater alhora mali mando adire þ lo moro se voleuano hobedire aL re de spagnia et recognioscere Lo re xpiano þ suo se. et darne lo nȓa tributo li sarebe amicho mase voleuano altramente aspectasseno como feriuāo le nȓe Lance risposero se haueuamo lance haueuāo lancie de canne brustolatte et pali brustolate et que nō andassemo alhora ad asaltarli ma aspectasemo venisse Lo giorno perche sarebenno piu gente. Questo diceuāo açio anda semo aritrouarli þ che haueuāo facto certi fossi fra le caze þ farne cascare dento. Venuto Lo giorno saltassemo ne Lacqua fina ale cossie caranta noue homini et cussi andassemo piu de dui trati de balesta inanzi potesẽo ariuar aL litto li bateli non potereno vegnire piu inanzi þ certe petre ɋ erano neL acqua li alti vndici homini restarono þ gardia de li bateli Quando ariuassemo in terra Questa gente haueuāo facto tre scadrony de piu de mille cinque cento þsonne subito sentendone ne venirono a dosso con voci grandissimi dui þ fiancho et Lalto þ contro. Lo capo quā do viste questo ne fece dui parti et cosi cominciassemo a Combater li squiopeti et balestieri tirarano da longi casi meza hora in vano sola mente passandoli li targoni facti de tauole sotille et li brazi Lo cappo gridaua nō tirare nō tirare ma non li valeua niente. Quando questi vistenno que tirauamo li squiopeti in vano gridando deliborono a star forte ma molto piu gridauāo Quando erano descarigati li squiopeti may nō stauano fermi saltando dequa et dela coperti con li sui targonj ne tirauāo tante frechie Lance de canna alguno di fero aL capo gñalle pali pontini brustolati pietre et Lo fango apena se poteuāo defendere. Vedendo questo Lo capo gñale mando alguni abrusare le sue case per spauentarli Quando questi vistenno bruzare le sue caze deuentorono piu fero ci apresso de le case forenno amazati dui deli nrj et vinti o trenta case li brusassemo ne venirono tanti adosso ɋ passarono cō vna freza ve nenata La gamba drita aL capo per il que comando ɋ se retirassemo a poco apoco ma loro fugirono sique restassemo da sey o octo cō lo capitanio Questi non ne tirauāo in alto sinon ale gambe per ɋ erano nude þ tante Lancie et pedre ɋ ne trahevano non potessemo resistere le bombarde de li batelli þ essere tropo longui nō ne poteuāo ajutare siche venissemo retirandosi piu de vna bonna balestrata longi de la riua sempre comba tendo ne lacque fin aL ginoquio sempre ne seguitoro et repigliando vna medesima Lancie quato osey volte ne La Lanciauano questi Conniossendo Lo capo tanti si voltorono sopa de lui ɋ dui volte li botarono lo celadōe fora deL capo ma lui como bon Caualiero sempre staua forte cō alguni alti piu de vno hora cossi combatessemo et non volendosi piu retirare vno indio li lancio vna lanza di cana deL vizo lui subito cō la sua Lancia Lo amazo et lasciolila neL corpo poy volendo dar de mano a La spada non puote cauarla senon meza per vna ferita de canna haueua neL brazo Quando visteno questo tuti andorono adosso alui vno cō vno grā terciado che e como vna simitara ma piu grosso li dete vna ferita nelagamba sinistra þ Laqalle casco coL volto inanzi subito li foreno adosso con Lancie de fero et de cana et con qelli sui terciadi fin que iL spechio iL lume eL conforto et la vera guida nȓa amazarono Quando lo feriuāo molte volte se volto indrieto þ vedere se eramo tucti dento neli bateli poi vedendolo morto aL meglio potesemo feriti se ritrassemo ali batelli ɋ gia se partiuāo Lo re xpiano ne hauereba ajutato ma Lo capo inanzi dismontassemo in tera li comisse non si douesse partire dal suo balanghai et stesse auedere in que modo Combateuāo Quando lo re sepe como era morto piance se non era questo pouero capo niuno de noy Si saluaua neli bateli þ che Quando lui Combateua li alti se retiravāo ali batelli. Spero in vȓa IlLma sa La fama duno si generoso capo non debia essere extinta neli tempi nosti fra le altre vertu ɋ eranno in lui era Lo piu Costante in vna grandissima fortuna ɋ may alguno alto fosse supō taua la fame piu ɋ tucti li alti et piu Justamente ɋ homo fosse aL mondo carteaua et nauigaua et se Questo fu iL vero se ve de aperta mente ninguno alto haueȓ auuto tanto Jngenio ni ardire de saper dar vna volta aL mondo como Ja cazi lui haueua dato. Questa bataglia fo facta aL Sabato vintisete de apille 1521. iL capo La volse fare in sabato þ ɋ era lo giorno suo deuoto nelaqalle foreno morti con lui octo de li nȓi et cato Jndij facto xpiani dale bombarde deli bateli ɋ eranno da poy venutj þ aiutarne et deli nimici Se non Quindici ma molti de noy feriti.

Dopo disnare le re xpiano mando adire cō Lo nosto consentimẽto aquelli de matan se ne voleuāo dare lo capo con li alti morti ɋ li daressemo Quanta merchadantia volessero risposero non si daua vno taL homo como pensauamo et ɋ non Lo darebenno þ la magior richessa deL mondo ma lo voleuano tenire þ memoria sua.

Sabato ɋ fo morto Lo capo qelli cato ɋ stauano nela cita þ merchadantare fecero portare le nostre merchantie alle naui poy facessemo dui gu bernatori duarte barboza portuguese parente deL capo. et Johā seranno spagniolo linterprete nȓo ɋ se chiamaua henrich þ essere vno poco ferito nō andaua piu in terra þ fare le cose nȓe necessarie ma staua sempre ne La squiauina þ ilque duarte Barbosa guuernatoȓ de la naue capa li grido et dissegli se benne e morto Lo capo suo se. þ questo non era libero anzi voleua Quando fossemo ariuati in espagnia sempre fosse schiauo de ma dona beatrice moglie deL capo gñale et minaciandoli se non anda ua in terra Lo frustaria Lo schiauo si leuo et mostro de non far cōto de queste parolle et ando in tera adire al re xpiano Como se voleuāo partire presto ma se lui voleua far a suo modo gadaneria li naue et tucte le nȓe merchadantie et cussi ordinorono vno tradimento Lo squiauo retorno ale naue et mostro essere piu sacente que pima.

 

One of those people brought us about a porringer full of rice and also eight or ten figs [i.e., bananas] fastened together to barter them for a knife which at the most was worth three catrini. The captain seeing that that native cared for nothing but a knife, called him to look at other things. He put his hand in his purse and wished to give him one real for those things, but the native refused it. The captain showed him a ducado but he would not accept that either. Finally the captain tried to give him a doppione worth two ducados, but he would take nothing but a knife; and accordingly the captain had one given to him. When one of our men went ashore for water, one of those people wanted to give him a pointed crown of massy gold, of the size of a colona for six strings of glass beads, but the captain refused to let him barter, so that the natives should learn at the very beginning that we prized our merchandise more than their gold.

Those people are heathens, and go naked and painted. They wear a piece of cloth woven from a tree about their privies. They are very heavy drinkers. Their women are clad in tree cloth from their waist down, and their hair is black and reaches to the ground. They have holes pierced in their ears which are filled with gold. Those people are constantly chewing a fruit which they call areca, and which resembles a pear. They cut that fruit into four parts, and then wrap it in the leaves of their tree which they call betre [i.e., betel]. Those leaves resemble the leaves of the mulberry. They mix it with a little lime, and when they have chewed it thoroughly, they spit it out. It makes the mouth exceedingly red. All the people in those parts of the world use it, for it is very cooling to the heart, and if they ceased to use it they would die. There are dogs, cats, swine, fowls, goats, rice, ginger, cocoanuts, figs [i.e., bananas], oranges, lemons, millet, panicum, sorgo, wax, and a quantity of gold in that island. It lies in a latitude of nine and two-thirds degrees toward the Arctic Pole, and in a longitude of one hundred and sixty-two degrees from the line of demarcation. It is twenty-five from the Acquada, and is called Mazaua.

We remained there seven days, after which we laid our course toward the northwest, passing among five islands, namely, Ceylon, Bohol, Canighan, Baybai, and Gatighan. In the last-named island of Gatigan, there are bats as large as eagles. As it was late we killed one of them, which resembled chicken in taste. There are doves, turtledoves, parrots, and certain black birds as large as domestic chickens, which have a long tail. The last mentioned birds lay eggs as large as the goose, and bury them under the sand, through the great heat of which they hatch out. When the chicks are born, they push up the sand, and come out. Those eggs are good to eat. There is a distance of twenty leguas from Mazaua to Gatighan. We set out westward from Gatighan, but the king of Mazaua could not follow us [closely], and consequently, we awaited him near three islands, namely, Polo, Ticobon, and Pozon. When he caught up with us he was greatly astonished at the rapidity with which we sailed. The captain-general had him come into his ship with several of his chiefs at which they were pleased. Thus did we go to Zubu from Gatighan, the distance to Zubu being fifteen leguas.

At noon on Sunday, April seven, we entered the port of Zubu, passing by many villages, where we saw many houses built upon logs. On approaching the city, the captain-general ordered the ships to fling their banners. The sails were lowered and arranged as if for battle, and all the artillery was fired, an action which caused great fear to those people. The captain sent a foster-son of his as ambassador to the king of Zubo with the interpreter. When they reached the city, they found a vast crowd of people together with the king, all of whom had been frightened by the mortars. The interpreter told them that that was our custom when entering into such places, as a sign of peace and friendship, and that we had discharged all our mortars to honor the king of the village. The king and all of his men were reassured, and the king had us asked by his governor what we wanted. The interpreter replied that his master was a captain of the greatest king and prince in the world, and that he was going to discover Malucho; but that he had come solely to visit the king because of the good report which he had heard of him from the king of Mazaua, and to buy food with his merchandise. The king told him that he was welcome [literally: he had come at a good time], but that it was their custom for all ships that entered their ports to pay tribute, and that it was but four days since a junk from Ciama [i.e., Siam] laden with gold and slaves had paid him tribute. As proof of his statement the king pointed out to the interpreter a merchant from Ciama, who had remained to trade the gold and slaves. The interpreter told the king that, since his master was the captain of so great a king, he did not pay tribute to any seignior in the world, and that if the king wished peace he would have peace, but if war instead, war. Thereupon, the Moro merchant said to the king Cata raia chita that is to say, «Look well, sire.» «These men are the same who have conquered Calicut, Malaca, and all India Magiore [i.e., India Major]. If they are treated well, they will give good treatment, but if they are treated evil, evil and worse treatment, as they have done to Calicut and Malaca.» The interpreter understood it all and told the king that his master's king was more powerful in men and ships than the king of Portogalo, that he was the king of Spagnia and emperor of all the Christians, and that if the king did not care to be his friend he would next time send so many men that they would destroy him. The Moro related everything to the king, who said thereupon that he would deliberate with his men, and would answer the captain on the following day. Then he had refreshments of many dishes, all made from meat and contained in porcelain platters, besides many jars of wine brought in. After our men had refreshed themselves, they returned and told us everything. The king of Mazaua, who was the most influential after that king and the seignior of a number of islands, went ashore to speak to the king of the great courtesy of our captain-general.

Monday morning, our notary, together with the interpreter, went to Zubu. The king, accompanied by his chiefs, came to the open square where he had our men sit down near him. He asked the notary whether there were more than one captain in that company, and whether that captain wished him to pay tribute to the emperor his master. The notary replied in the negative, but that the captain wished only to trade with him and with no others. The king said that he was satisfied, and that if the captain wished to become his friend, he should send him a drop of blood from his right arm, and he himself would do the same [to him] as a sign of the most sincere friendship. The notary answered that the captain would do it. Thereupon, the king told him that all the captains who came to that place, were wont to give presents one to the other [i.e., mutual presents between the king and the captain], and asked whether our captain or he ought to commence. The interpreter told the king that since he desired to maintain the custom, he should commence, and so he did.

Tuesday morning the king of Mazaua came to the ships with the Moro. He saluted the captain-general in behalf of the king [of Zubu], and said that the king of Zubu was collecting as much food as possible to give to him, and that after dinner he would send one of his nephews and two others of his chief men to make peace. The captain-general had one of his men armed with his own arms, and had the Moro told that we all fought in that manner. The Moro was greatly frightened, but the captain told him not to be frightened for our arms were soft toward our friends and harsh toward our enemies; and as handkerchiefs wipe off the sweat so did our arms overthrow and destroy all our adversaries, and those who hate our faith. The captain did that so that the Moro who seemed more intelligent than the others, might tell it to the king.

After dinner the king's nephew, who was the prince, came to the ships with the king of Mazaua, the Moro, the governor, the chief constable, and eight chiefs, to make peace with us. The captain-general was seated in a red velvet chair, the principal men on leather chairs, and the others on mats upon the floor. The captain-general asked them through the interpreter whether it were their custom to speak in secret or in public, and whether that prince and the king of Mazaua had authority to make peace. They answered that they spoke in public, and that they were empowered to make peace. The captain-general said many things concerning peace, and that he prayed God to confirm it in heaven. They said that they had never heard any one speak such words, but that they took great pleasure in hearing them. The captain seeing that they listened and answered willingly, began to advance arguments to induce them to accept the faith. Asking them who would succeed to the seigniory after the death of the king, he was answered that the king had no sons but only daughters, the eldest of whom was the wife of that nephew of his, who therefore was the prince. [They said that] when the fathers and mothers grew old, they received no further honor, but their children commanded them. The captain told them that God made the sky, the earth, the sea, and everything else, and that He had commanded us to honor our fathers and mothers, and that whoever did otherwise was condemned to eternal fire; that we are all descended from Adam and Eva, our first parents; that we have an immortal spirit; and many other things pertaining to the faith. All joyfully entreated the captain to leave them two men, or at least one, to instruct them in the faith, and [said] that they would show them great honor. The captain replied to them that he could not leave them any men then, but that if they wished to become Christians, our priest would baptize them, and that he would next time bring priests and friars who would instruct them in our faith. They answered that they would first speak to their king, and that then they would become Christians, [whereat] we all wept with great joy. The captain-general told them that they should not become Christians for fear or to please us, but of their own free wills; and that he would not cause any displeasure to those who wished to live according to their own law, but that the Christians would be better regarded and treated than the others. All cried out with one voice that they were not becoming Christians through fear or to please us, but of their own free will. Then the captain told them that if they became Christians, he would leave a suit of armor, for so had his king commanded him; that we could not have intercourse with their women without committing a very great, sin, since they were pagans; and that he assured them that if they became Christians, the devil would no longer appear to them except in the last moment at their death. They said that they could not answer the beautiful words of the captain, but that they placed themselves in his hands, and that he should treat them as his most faithful servants. The captain embraced them weeping, and clasping one of the prince's hands and one of the king's between his own, said to them that, by his faith in God and to his sovereign, the emperor, and by the habit which he wore, he promised them that he would give them perpetual peace with the king of Spagnia. They answered that they promised the same. After the conclusion of the peace, the captain had refreshments served to them. Then the prince and the king [of Mazaua] presented some baskets of rice, swine, goats, and fowls to the captain-general on behalf of their king, and asked him to pardon them, for such things were but little [to give] to one such as he. The captain gave the prince a white cloth of the finest linen, a red cap, some strings of glass beads, and a gilded glass drinking cup. Those glasses are greatly appreciated in those districts. He did not give any present to the king of Mazaua, for he had already given him a robe of Cambaya, besides other articles. To the others he gave now one thing and now another. Then he sent to the king of Zubu through me and one other a yellow and violet silk robe, made in Turkish style, a fine red cap, some strings of glass beads, all in a silver dish, and two gilt drinking cups in our hands. When we reached the city we found the king in his palace surrounded by many people. He was seated on a palm mat on the ground, with only a cotton cloth before his privies, and a scarf embroidered with the needle about his head, a necklace of great value hanging from his neck, and two large gold earrings fastened in his ears set round with precious gems. He was fat and short, and tattooed with fire in various designs. From another mat on the ground he was eating turtle eggs which were in two porcelain dishes, and he had four jars full of palm wine in front of him covered with sweet-smelling herbs and arranged with four small reeds in each jar by means of which he drank. Having duly made reverence to him, the interpreter told the king that his master thanked him very warmly for his present, and that he sent this present not in return for his present but for the intrinsic love which he bore him. We dressed him in the robe, placed the cap on his head, and gave him the other things; then kissing the beads and putting them upon his head, I presented them to him. He doing the same [i.e., kissing them] accepted them. Then the king had us eat some of those eggs and drink through those slender reeds. The others, his men, told him in that place, the words of the captain concerning peace and his exhortation to them to become Christians. The king wished to have us stay to supper with him, but we told him that we could not stay then. Having taken our leave of him, the prince took us with him to his house, where four young girls were playing [instruments] – one, on a drum like ours, but resting on the ground; the second was striking two suspended gongs alternately with a stick wrapped somewhat thickly at the end with palm cloth; the third, one large gong in the same manner; and the last, two small gongs held in her hand, by striking one against the other, which gave forth a sweet sound. They played so harmoniously that one would believe they possessed good musical sense. Those girls were very beautiful and almost as white as our girls and as large. They were naked except for tree cloth hanging from the waist and reaching to the knees. Some were quite naked and had large holes in their ears with a small round piece of wood in the hole, which keeps the hole round and large. They have long black hair, and wear a short cloth about the head, and are always barefoot. The prince had three quite naked girls dance for us. We took refreshments and then went to the ships. Those gongs are made of brass [metalo] and are manufactured in the regions about the Signio Magno which is called China. They are used in those regions as we use bells and are called aghon.

On Wednesday morning, as one of our men had died during the previous night, the interpreter and I went to ask the king where we could bury him. We found the king surrounded by many men, of whom, after the due reverence was made, I asked it. He replied, «If I and my vassals all belong to your sovereign, how much more ought the land.» I told the king that we would like to consecrate the place, and to set up a cross there. He replied that he was quite satisfied, and that he wished to adore the cross as did we. The deceased was buried in the square with as much pomp as possible, in order to furnish a good example. Then we consecrated the place, and in the evening buried another man. We carried a quantity of merchandise ashore which we stored in a house. The king took it under his care as well as four men who were left to trade the goods by wholesale. Those people live in accordance with justice, and have weights and measures. They love peace, ease, and quiet. They have wooden balances, the bar of which has a cord in the middle by which it is held. At one end is a bit of lead, and at the other marks like quarter-libras, third-libras, and libras. When they wish to weigh they take the scales which has three wires like ours, and place it above the marks, and so weigh accurately. They have very large measures without any bottom. The youth play on pipes made like ours which they call subin. Their houses are constructed of wood, and are built of planks and bamboo, raised high from the ground on large logs, and one must enter them by means of ladders. They have rooms like ours; and under the house they keep their swine, goats, and fowls. Large sea snails [corniolli], beautiful to the sight, are found there which kill whales. For the whale swallows them alive, and when they are in the whale's body, they come out of their shells and eat the whale's heart. Those people afterward find them alive near the dead whale's heart. Those creatures have black teeth and skin and a white shell, and the flesh is good to eat. They are called laghan.

On Friday we showed those people a shop full of our merchandise, at which they were very much surprised. For metals, iron, and other large merchandise they gave us gold. For the other smaller articles they gave us rice, swine, goats, and other food. Those people gave us x pieces of gold for xiiii libras of iron (one piece being worth about one and one-half ducados). The captain-general did not wish to take too much gold, for there would have been some sailors who would have given all that they owned for a small amount of gold, and would have spoiled the trade for ever. On Saturday, as the captain had promised the king to make him a Christian on Sunday, a platform was built in the consecrated square, which was adorned with hangings and palm branches for his baptism. The captain-general sent men to tell the king not to be afraid of the pieces that would be discharged in the morning, for it was our custom to discharge them at our greatest feasts without loading with stones.

On Sunday morning, April fourteen, forty men of us went ashore, two of whom were completely armed and preceded the royal banner. When we reached land all the artillery was fired. Those people followed us hither and thither. The captain and the king embraced. The captain told the king that the royal banner was not taken ashore except with fifty men armed as were those two, and with fifty musketeers; but so great was his love for him that he had thus brought the banner. Then we all approached the platform joyfully. The captain and the king sat down in chairs of red and violet velvet, the chiefs on cushions, and the others on mats. The captain told the king through the interpreter that he thanked God for inspiring him to became a Christian; and that [now] he would more easily conquer his enemies than before. The king replied that he wished to become a Christian, but that some of his chiefs did not wish to obey, because they said that they were as good men as he. Then our captain had all the chiefs of the king called, and told them that, unless they obeyed the king as their king, he would have them killed, and would give their possessions to the king. They replied that they would obey him. The captain told the king that he was going to Spagnia, but that he would return again with so many forces that he would make him the greatest king of those regions, as he had been the first to express a determination to become a Christian. The king, lifting his hands to the sky, thanked the captain, and requested him to let some of his men remain [with him], so that he and his people might be better instructed in the faith. The captain replied that he would leave two men to satisfy him, but that he would like to take two of the children of the chiefs with him, so that they might learn our language, who afterward on their return would be able to tell the others the wonders [cose] of Spagnia. A large cross was set up in the middle of the square. The captain told them that if they wished to become Christians as they had declared on the previous days, that they must burn all their idols and set up a cross in their place. They were to adore that cross daily with clasped hands, and every morning after their [i.e., the Spaniards'] custom, they were to make the sign of the cross (which the captain showed them how to make); and they ought to come hourly, at least in the morning, to that cross, and adore it kneeling. The intention that they had already declared, they were to confirm with good works. The king and all the others wished to confirm it thoroughly. The captain-general told the king that he was clad all in white to demonstrate his sincere love toward them. They replied that they could not respond to his sweet words. The captain led the king by the hand to the platform while speaking these good words in order to baptize him. He told the king that he would call him Don Carlo, after his sovereign the emperor; the prince, Don Fernando, after the emperor's brother; the king of Mazaua, Johanni; a chief, Fernando, after our chief, that is to say, the captain; the Moro, Christoforo; and then the others, now one name, and now another. Five hundred men were baptized before mass. After the conclusion of mass, the captain invited the king and some of the other chiefs to dinner, but they refused, accompanying us, however, to the shore. The ships discharged all the mortars; and embracing, the king and chiefs and the captain took leave of one another.

After dinner the priest and some of the others went ashore to baptize the queen, who came with forty women. We conducted her to the platform, and she was made to sit down upon a cushion, and the other women near her, until the priest should be ready. She was shown an image of our Lady, a very beautiful wooden child Jesus, and a cross. Thereupon, she was overcome with contrition, and asked for baptism amid her tears. We named her Johanna, after the emperor's mother; her daughter, the wife of the prince, Catherina; the queen of Mazaua, Lisabeta; and the others, each their [distinctive] name. Counting men, women, and children, we baptized eight hundred souls. The queen was young and beautiful, and was entirely covered with a white and black cloth. Her mouth and nails were very red, while on her head she wore a large hat of palm leaves in the manner of a parasol, with a crown about it of the same leaves, like the tiara of the pope; and she never goes any place without such a one. She asked us to give her the little child Jesus to keep in place of her idols; and then she went away. In the afternoon, the king and queen, accompanied by numerous persons, came to the shore. Thereupon, the captain had many trombs of fire and large mortars discharged, by which they were most highly delighted. The captain and the king called one another brothers. That king's name was Raia Humabon. Before that week had gone, all the persons of that island, and some from the other island, were baptized. We burned one hamlet which was located in a neighboring island, because it refused to obey the king or us. We set up the cross there for those people were heathen. Had they been Moros, we would have erected a column there as a token of greater hardness, for the Moros are much harder to convert than the heathen.

The captain-general went ashore daily during those days to hear mass, and told the king many things regarding the faith. One day the queen came with great pomp to hear mass. Three girls preceded her with three of her hats in their hands. She was dressed in black and white with a large silk scarf, crossed with gold stripes thrown over her head, which covered her shoulders; and she had on her hat. A great number of women accompanied her, who were all naked and barefoot, except that they had a small covering of palm-tree cloth before their privies, and a small scarf upon the head, and all with hair flowing free. The queen, having made the due reverence to the altar, seated herself on a silk embroidered cushion. Before the commencement of the mass, the captain sprayed her and some of her women with musk rosewater, for they delighted exceedingly in such perfumes. The captain knowing that the queen was very much pleased with the child Jesus, gave it to her, telling her to keep it in place of her idols, for it was in memory of the son of God. Thanking him heartily she accepted it.

Before mass one day, the captain-general had the king come clad in his silk robe, and the chief men of the city, [to wit], the king's brother and prince's father, whose name was Bendara; another of the king's brothers, Cadaio; and certain ones called Simiut, Sibuaia, Sisacai, Maghalibe, and many others whom I shall not name in order not to be tedious. The captain made them all swear to be obedient to their king, and they kissed the latter's hand. Then the captain had the king declare that he would always be obedient and faithful to the king of Spagnia, and the king so swore. Thereupon, the captain drew his Sword before the image of our Lady, and told the king that when anyone so swore, he should prefer to die rather than to break such an oath, if he swore by that image, by the life of the emperor his sovereign, and by his habit to be ever faithful. After the conclusion of that the captain gave the king a red velvet chair, telling him that wherever he went he should always have it carried before him by one of his nearest relatives; and he showed him how it ought to be carried. The king responded that he would do that willingly for love of him, and he told the captain that he was making a jewel to give to him, namely, two large earrings of gold to fasten in his ears, two armlets to put on his arms, above the elbows, and two other rings for the feet above the ankles, besides other precious gems to adorn the ears. Those are the most beautiful ornaments which the kings of those districts can wear. They always go barefoot, and wear a cloth garment that hangs from the waist to the knees.

One day the captain-general asked the king and the other people why they did not burn their idols as they had promised when they became Christians; and why they sacrificed so much flesh to them. They replied that what they were doing was not for themselves, but for a sick man who had not spoken now for four days, so that the idols might give him health. He was the prince's brother, and the bravest and wisest man in the island. The captain told them to burn their idols and to believe in Christ, and that if the sick man were baptized, he would quickly recover; and if that did not so happen they could behead him [i.e., the captain] then and there. Thereupon, the king replied that he would do it, for he truly believed in Christ. We made a procession from the square to the house of the sick man with as much pomp as possible. There we found him in such condition that he could neither speak nor move. We baptized him and his two wives, and x girls. Then the captain had him asked how he felt. He spoke immediately and said that by the grace of our Lord he felt very well. That was a most manifest miracle [that happened] in our times. When the captain heard him speak, he thanked God fervently. Then he made the sick man drink some almond milk, which he had already had made for him. Afterward he sent him a mattress, a pair of sheets, a coverlet of yellow cloth, and a pillow. Until he recovered his health, the captain sent him almond milk, rosewater, oil of roses, and some sweet preserves. Before five days the sick man began to walk. He had an idol that certain old women had concealed in his house burned in the presence of the king and all the people. He had many shrines along the seashore destroyed, in which the consecrated meat was eaten. The people themselves cried out «Castiglia! Castiglia!» and destroyed those shrines. They said that if God would lend them life, they would burn all the idols that they could find, even if they were in the king's house. Those idols are made of wood, and are hollow, and lack the back parts. Their arms are open and their feet turned up under them with the legs open. They have a large face with four huge tusks like those of the wild boar; and are painted all over.

There are many villages in that island. Their names, those of their inhabitants, and of their chiefs are as follows: Cinghapola, and its chiefs, Cilaton, Ciguibucan, Cimaningha, Cimatichat, and Cicanbul; one, Mandaui, and its chief, Apanoaan; one Lalan, and its chief, Theteu; one, Lalutan, and its chief, Tapan; one Cilumai; and one, Lubucun. All those villages rendered obedience to us, and gave us food and tribute. Near that island of Zubu was an island called Matan, which formed the port where we were anchored. The name of its village was Matan, and its chiefs were Zula and Cilapulapu. That city which we burned was in that island and was called Bulaia.

In order that your most illustrious Lordship may know the ceremonies that those people use in consecrating the swine, they first sound those large gongs. Then three large dishes are brought in; two with roses and with cakes of rice and millet, baked and wrapped in leaves, and roast fish; the other with cloth of Cambaia and two standards made of palm-tree cloth. One bit of cloth of Cambaia is spread on the ground. Then two very old women come, each of whom has a bamboo trumpet in her hand. When they have stepped upon the cloth they make obeisance to the sun. Then they wrap the cloths about themselves. One of them puts a kerchief with two horns on her forehead, and takes another kerchief in her hands, and dancing and blowing upon her trumpet, she thereby calls out to the sun. The other takes one of the standards and dances and blows on her trumpet. They dance and call out thus for a little space, saying many things between themselves to the sun. She with the kerchief takes the other standard, and lets the kerchief drop, and both blowing on their trumpets for a long time, dance about the bound hog. She with the horns always speaks covertly to the sun, and the other answers her. A cup of wine is presented to her of the horns, and she dancing and repeating certain words, while the other answers her, and making pretense four or five times of drinking the wine, sprinkles it upon the heart of the hog. Then she immediately begins to dance again. A lance is given to the same woman. She shaking it and repeating certain words, while both of them continue to dance, and making motions four or five times of thrusting the lance through the heart of the hog, with a sudden and quick stroke, thrusts it through from one side to the other. The wound is quickly stopped with grass. The one who has killed the hog, taking in her mouth a lighted torch, which has been lighted throughout that ceremony, extinguishes it. The other one dipping the end of her trumpet in the blood of the hog, goes around marking with blood with her finger first the foreheads of their husbands, and then the others; but they never came to us. Then they divest themselves and go to eat the contents of those dishes, and they invite only women [to eat with them]. The hair is removed from the hog by means of fire. Thus no one but old women consecrate the flesh of the hog, and they do not eat it unless it is killed in this way.

Those people go naked, wearing but one piece of palm-tree cloth about their privies. The males, large and small, have their penis pierced from one side to the other near the head, with a gold or tin bolt as large as a goose quill. In both ends of the same bolt, some have what resembles a spur, with points upon the ends; others are like the head of a cart nail. I very often asked many, both old and young, to see their penis, because I could not credit it. In the middle of the bolt is a hole, through which they urinate. The bolt and the spurs always hold firm. They say that their women wish it so, and that if they did otherwise they would not have communication with them. When the men wish to have communication with their women, the latter themselves take the penis not in the regular way and commence very gently to introduce it [into their vagina], with the spur on top first, and then the other part. When it is inside it takes its regular position; and thus the penis always stays inside until it gets soft, for otherwise they could not pull it out. Those people make use of that device because they are of a weak nature. They have as many wives as they wish, but one of them is the principal wife. Whenever any of our men went ashore, both by day and by night, every one invited him to eat and to drink. Their viands are half cooked and very salty. They drink frequently and copiously from the jars through those small reeds, and one of their meals lasts for five or six hours. The women loved us very much more than their own men. All of the women from the age of six years and upward, have their vaginas [natura] gradually opened because of the men's penises.

They practice the following ceremonies when one of their chiefs dies. First all the chief women of the place go to the house of the deceased. The deceased is placed in the middle of the house in a box. Ropes are placed about the box in the manner of a palisade, to which many branches of trees are attached. In the middle of each branch hangs a cotton cloth like a curtained canopy. The most principal women sit under those hangings, and are all covered with white cotton cloth, each one by a girl who fans her with a palm-leaf fan. The other women sit about the room sadly. Then there is one woman who cuts off the hair of the deceased very slowly with a knife. Another who was the principal wife of the deceased, lies down upon him, and places her mouth, her hands, and her feet upon those of the deceased. When the former is cutting off the hair, the latter weeps; and when the former finishes the cutting, the latter sings. There are many porcelain jars containing fire about the room, and myrrh, storax, and bezoin, which make a strong odor through the house, are put on the fire. They keep the body in the house for five or six days during those ceremonies. I believe that the body is anointed with camphor. Then they bury the body and the same box which is shut in a log by means of wooden nails and covered and enclosed by logs of wood. Every night about midnight in that city, a jet black bird as large as a crow was wont to come, and no sooner had it thus reached the houses than it began to screech, so that all the dogs began to howl; and that screeching and howling would last for four or five hours, but those people would never tell us the reason of it.

On Friday, April twenty-six, Zula, a chief of the island of Matan, sent one of his sons to present two goats to the captain-general, and to say that he would send him all that he had promised, but that he had not been able to send it to him because of the other chief Cilapulapu, who refused to obey the king of Spagnia. He requested the captain to send him only one boatload of men on the next night, so that they might help him and fight against the other chief. The captain-general decided to go thither with three boatloads. We begged him repeatedly not to go, but he, like a good shepherd, refused to abandon his flock. At midnight, sixty men of us set out armed with corselets and helmets, together with the Christian king, the prince, some of the chief men, and twenty or thirty balanguais. We reached Matan three hours before dawn. The captain did not wish to fight then, but sent a message to the natives by the Moro to the effect that if they would obey the king of Spagnia, recognize the Christian king as their sovereign, and pay us our tribute, he would be their friend; but that if they wished otherwise, they should wait to see how our lances wounded. They replied that if we had lances they had lances of bamboo and stakes hardened with fire. [They asked us] not to proceed to attack them at once, but to wait until morning, so that they might have more men. They said that in order to induce us to go in search of them; for they had dug certain pitholes between the houses in order that we might fall into them. When morning came forty-nine of us leaped into the water up to our thighs, and walked through water for more than two crossbow flights before we could reach the shore. The boats could not approach nearer because of certain rocks in the water. The other eleven men remained behind to guard the boats. When we reached land, those men had formed in three divisions to the number of more than one thousand five hundred persons. When they saw us, they charged down upon us with exceeding loud cries, two divisions on our flanks and the other on our front. When the captain saw that, he formed us into two divisions, and thus did we begin to fight. The musketeers and crossbowmen shot from a distance for about a half-hour, but uselessly; for the shots only passed through the shields which were made of thin wood and the arms [of the bearers]. The captain cried to them, «Cease firing! cease firing!» but his order was not at all heeded. When the natives saw that we were shooting our muskets to no purpose, crying out they determined to stand firm, but they redoubled their shouts. When our muskets were discharged, the natives would never stand still, but leaped hither and thither, covering themselves with their shields. They shot so many arrows at us and hurled so many bamboo spears (some of them tipped with iron) at the captain-general, besides pointed stakes hardened with fire, stones, and mud, that we could scarcely defend ourselves. Seeing that the captain-general sent some men to burn their houses in order to terrify them. When they saw their houses burning, they were roused to greater fury. Two of our men were killed near the houses, while we burned twenty or thirty houses. So many of them charged down upon us that they shot the captain through the right leg with a poisoned arrow. On that account, he ordered us to retire slowly, but the men took to flight, except six or eight of us who remained with the captain. The natives shot only at our legs, for the latter were bare; and so many were the spears and stones that they hurled at us, that we could offer no resistance. The mortars in the boats could not aid us as they were too far away. So we continued to retire for more than a good crossbow flight from the shore always fighting up to our knees in the water. The natives continued to pursue us, and picking up the same spear four or six times, hurled it at us again and again. Recognizing the captain, so many turned upon him that they knocked his helmet off his head twice, but he always stood firmly like a good knight, together with some others. Thus did we fight for more than one hour, refusing to retire farther. An Indian hurled a bamboo spear into the captain's face, but the latter immediately killed him with his lance, which he left in the Indian's body. Then, trying to lay hand on sword, he could draw it out but halfway, because he had been wounded in the arm with a bamboo spear. When the natives saw that, they all hurled themselves upon him. One of them wounded him on the left leg with a large cutlass, which resembles a scimitar, only being larger. That caused the captain to fall face downward, when immediately they rushed upon him with iron and bamboo spears and with their cutlasses, until they killed our mirror, our light, our comfort, and our true guide. When they wounded him, he turned back many times to see whether we were all in the boats. Thereupon, beholding him dead, we, wounded, retreated, as best we could, to the boats, which were already pulling off. The Christian king would have aided us, but the captain charged him before we landed, not to leave his balanghai, but to stay to see how we fought. When the king learned that the captain was dead, he wept. Had it not been for that unfortunate captain, not a single one of us would have been saved in the boats, for while he was fighting the others retired to the boats. I hope through [the efforts of] your most illustrious Lordship that the fame of so noble a captain will not become effaced in our times. Among the other virtues which he possessed, he was more constant than ever any one else in the greatest of adversity. He endured hunger better than all the others, and more accurately than any man in the world did he understand sea charts and navigation. And that this was the truth was seen openly, for no other had had so much natural talent nor the boldness to learn how to circumnavigate the world, as he had almost done. That battle was fought on Saturday, April twenty-seven, 1521. The captain desired to fight on Saturday, because it was the day especially holy to him. Eight of our men were killed with him in that battle, and four Indians, who had become Christians and who had come afterward to aid us were killed by the mortars of the boats. Of the enemy, only fifteen were killed, while many of us were wounded.

In the afternoon the Christian king sent a message with our consent to the people of Matan, to the effect that if they would give us the captain and the other men who had been killed, we would give them as much merchandise as they wished. They answered that they would not give up such a man, as we imagined [they would do], and that they would not give him for all the riches in the world, but that they intended to keep him as a memorial.

On Saturday, the day on which the captain was killed, the four men who had remained in the city to trade, had our merchandise carried to the ships. Then we chose two commanders, namely, Duarte Barboza, a Portuguese and a relative of the captain, and Johan Seranno, a Spaniard. As our interpreter, Henrich by name, was wounded slightly, he would not go ashore any more to attend to our necessary affairs, but always kept his bed. On that account, Duarte Barboza, the commander of the flagship, cried out to him and told him, that although his master, the captain, was dead, he was not therefore free; on the contrary he [i.e., Barboza] would see to it that when we should reach Espagnia, he should still be the slave of Doña Beatrice, the wife of the captain-general. And threatening the slave that if he did go ashore, he would be flogged, the latter arose, and, feigning to take no heed to those words, went ashore to tell the Christian king that we were about to leave very soon, but that if he would follow his advice, he could gain the ships and all our merchandise. Accordingly they arranged a plot, and the slave returned to the ship, where he showed that he was more cunning than before.

 

Biblioteca ambrosiana di Milano, Ms. L 103 Sup., fol. 21r