[34] The palace of the Escorial was built in the town of that name, twenty-four miles from Madrid, by Felipe II; it was begun in 1563, and completed in 1584, except that the pantheons were added by Felipe IV.  The total cost is estimated at L660,000 sterling; it is one of the largest buildings in the world, being a rectangle of six hundred and eighty by five hundred and thirty feet.  It is a palace and monastery combined, the latter being in charge of the Augustinian order.

[35] The matter in parentheses is side notes in the original.

[36] Tierra firme:  this term means simply “the continent,” and was at that time applied to the northern mainland of South America, as distinguished from the adjacent islands.

[37] Internal evidence indicates that this list was prepared in New Spain.  In the MS., in the right-hand column are enumerated the articles demanded for the Philippines; on the left is a statement of articles sent—­various memoranda being made on each side.  As here presented, the items in the left-hand column follow (within parentheses) the corresponding items on the right hand.

[38] The Spanish quintal (100 libras), varied in different provinces; that of Castilla was equivalent to 101.6097 United States pounds.  Other denominations:  25 libras = 1 arroba; 4 arrobas = 1 quintal; 20 quintals = 1 tonelada.

[39] Of these measures of capacity, the first set are for liquid measure:  4 copas = 1 cuartillo; 4 cuartillos = 1 azumbre; 8 azumbres = 1 arroba mayor or cantara.  This arroba equals 4.26304 gallons, and is supposed to contain the weight of 35 libras of pure (i.e., distilled) water.  The arroba for oil, however, is only 3.31853 gallons.

The other measures are for dry substances. Hanega is only another form of fanega (= 1.599 bushels), which is described in Vol.  II, note 72; the celemin is the same as the almude (note 20, ante).  Table:  4 ochavillos = 1 racion; 4 raciones = 1 cuartillo; 2 cuartillos = 1 medio; 2 medios = 1 almude; 12 almudes = 1 fanega; 12 fanegas = 1 cahiz.

[40] References to the shares, in goods discovered or produced, which were to be set aside for the king and the church.

[41] Elem: in Retana’s text, “el M.”  In some old documents appears the name Elen (or Helin); it apparently refers to the islet off the southwest point of Mindoro which is now called Ylin.

[42] Pintados ("painted"):  a term applied to the inhabitants of the Visayas (and afterward extended to those islands), because they painted their bodies with red clay—­or, as some writers say, on account of their being tattooed.

[43] The name Manila is derived from a Tagal word, manilad, meaning “a place overgrown with nilad”—­which is the name of a small tree, bearing white flowers (Ixora manila).