The Philippine Islands, 1493-1898—Volume 39 of 55, 1683-1690: Explorations by Early Navigators, Descriptions of the Islands and Their Peoples, Their History and Records of The Catholic Missions, As Related in Contemporaneous Books and Manuscripts, Showing the Political, Economic, Commercial and Religious Conditions of Those Islands from Their Earliest Relations with European Nations to the Close of the Nineteenth Century
History
The Philippine Islands, 1493-1898—Volume 39 of 55, 1683-1690: Explorations by Early Navigators, Descriptions of the Islands and Their Peoples, Their History and Records of The Catholic Missions, As Related in Contemporaneous Books and Manuscripts, Showing the Political, Economic, Commercial and Religious Conditions of Those Islands from Their Earliest Relations with European Nations to the Close of the Nineteenth Century
Demarcation line of Alexander VI; Missions -- Philippines; Philippines -- Discovery and exploration; Philippines -- History -- Sources
Yet 'tis probable that they have some Law, or Custom, by which they
are govern'd; for while we lay here we saw a young Man buried alive
in the Earth; and 'twas for Theft, as far as we could understand from
them. There was a great deep hole dug, and abundance of People came to
the Place to take their last Farewell of him: Among the rest, there
was one Woman who made great Lamentation, and took off the condemn'd
Person's Ear-rings. We supposed her to be his Mother. After he had
taken his leave of her and some others, he was put into the Pit,
and covered over with Earth He did not struggle, but yielded very
quietly to his Punishment; and they cramm'd the Earth close upon him,
and stifled him.
They have but one Wife, with whom they live and agree very well;
and their Children live very obediently under them. The Boys go out
a Fishing with their Fathers; and the Girls live at home with their
Mothers: And when the Girls are grown pretty strong, they send them
to their Plantations, to dig Yames and Potatoes; of which they bring
home on their Heads every day enough to serve the whole Family;
for they have no Rice nor Maize.
Their Plantations are in the Valleys, at a good distance from their
Houses; where every Man has a certain spot of Land, which is properly
his own. This he manageth himself for his own use; and provides enough,
that he may not be beholding to his Neighbour.
Notwithstanding the seeming nastiness of their Dish of Goats Maw,
they are in their Persons a very neat cleanly People, both Men and
Women: And they are withal the quietest and civilest People that
I did ever meet with. I could never perceive them to be angry with
one another. I have admired to see 20 or 30 Boats aboard our Ship at
a time, and yet no difference among them; but all civil and quiet,
endeavouring to help each other on occasion; No noise nor appearance
of distaste: and although sometimes cross Accidents would happen,
which might have set other Men together by the Ears, yet they were
not moved by them. Sometimes they will also drink freely, and warm
themselves with their Drink; yet neither then could I ever perceive
them out of Humour. They are not only thus civil among themselves,
but very obliging and kind to Strangers; nor were their Children rude
to us, as is usual. Indeed the Women, when we came to their Houses,
would modestly beg any Rags, or small pieces of Cloth, to swaddle
their young ones in, holding out their Children to us; and begging
is usual among all these wild Nations. Yet neither did they beg so
importunely as in other Places; nor did the Men ever beg any thing
at all. Neither, except once at the first time we came to an Anchor
(as I shall relate) did they steal any thing; but dealt justly, and
with great sincerity with us; and made us very welcome to their Houses
with Bashee drink. If they had none of this Liquor themselves, they
would buy a Jar of Drink of their Neighbours, and sit down with us:
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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