be obtained by force.  As I have said, there prevails among them the utmost rudeness and lack of harmony; so that if one says “basket,” the other responds “crossbow.”  He who has the most gold and riches is the greatest chief and of the highest nobility, and is the most respected, in accordance with the vanity and vainglory of this world.  It occurs to me now that this is borne out by the proverb current among the Spaniards, namely, “Dost thou wish to know thy value? see what thou hast.”

These three chiefs, having become our friends, offered to bring all the surrounding country to terms of peace with us, a thing which they did not succeed in accomplishing, for they were not sufficiently powerful, as I have said, each village having its own chiefs.  Indeed there are but very few chiefs who have authority over as many as two or three villages, for the reason which I have given above.  The character and customs of these people, and their clothing, ornaments, and mode of government I shall describe further on—­that is to say, of the people of this island of Luzon and of the other islands round about.  As for those farther away in China, we are informed by those who come from there to trade with these islands that they are a cleanly, well-clothed race, and of higher morals.  This is worthy of some belief, on account of the Chinese who come to these islands to trade, and whom we see walking about, well and decently clothed.  Leaving this subject for its proper time and place, I shall continue to relate the governor’s actions after disembarking in Manilla, on the sixteenth of May of the year one thousand five hundred and seventy-one.  At the end of a week he published an edict that, in accordance with the command of his Majesty, he would give lands and repartimientos to those who desired to settle in the city of Manilla, which he was founding in the name of his Majesty.  Accordingly, all those who came with him, captains, soldiers, and gentlemen, settled as citizens in this city; but up to the present, and it is now about a year since the city was founded, there are very few who have repartimientos or even homesteads.  This is, as I have said, a very unsatisfactory manner in which this city was founded and settled.  I shall now return to relate briefly the war with the natives, which the Spaniards have carried on even to the present day.

All that I have above related having taken place, it was decided to make peace with the nearest villages, some of whom had come to beg it from the governor, and others would not.  Among those who would not come was a village called Butas, situated on an inlet on the other side of the river flowing past Manilla, and about a league and a half away.  This village, uniting with the others near by, sent word that they did not wish peace or friendship with the governor; and had the boldness to come as far as the village of Alcandora, quite close to Manilla, whence they sent defiance to the governor and the captains.