Juan de Mendoza

“ A dark look shaded O'Donnell's face as he spoke.
"Perhaps you were rivals in those times," still persisted Mendoza, noticing the shadows. "Some wine in your glass, my friend? Well, war and love have made many an enemy."
Again the neigh of the stallion was heard.
"Drumlummon's second call. I must be going. Perhaps Captain Farquharson may call on you soon. Indeed, I'm sure he will; for I remember now that he has letters of introduction to you from Don Juan Domingo, first assistant to the secretary of state of Mexico." ”

“ I now turn your attention to the provinces of Mendoza and San Juan, as these form a part of the United Provinces of the Rio de la Plata. In March 1822, I visited these places, and found a very great desire existing there, in regard to education. Our excellent friend, Dr. Gillies, was at that time (and still is) residing in Mendoza. He had contributed much to create such a desire, and was very active in using every means for satisfying it. ”

“ The town is said to contain about nine thousand inhabitants; but I think the estimate high, although many persons have given a larger population. It certainly, in numbers, falls below Mendoza. The town is laid out in the same manner as was Mendoza, and is watered by the canals that run from the River San Juan, a stream rising in the Cordillera.
No goitre exists in this vicinity. I saw only one case of it during my stay, and the subject had lived many years in Mendoza. ”

“ But there grew a great contention amongest them, which people of what ilande should first come vnto the shippes, and was in such order that they fell vnto blowes, and wounded the one the other maruellously, more liker beastes than men; of the which there were many slaine in the presence of the Spaniards, and would neuer leave off their contention a good while, till in the end, by way of peace, they consented a conclusion amongest themselues, but with a great noyse, which was, that those of one iland should go to the larbord of the ship, and those of the other iland should go to the starbord ”

“ And there he pretended to liue in securitie, without feare that before he had of the kings great fleete, for that it was so farre distant from the firme lande. So with this determination hee departed from those ilandes whereas he was retyred, and went to sea, and sayling towardes the Ilandes Philippinas they passed in sight of the Ilandes of the Illocos, which had a towne called Fernandina, [2] which was newe founded by the captaine John de Salzedo, who at that instant was in the same for lieutenant to the gouernour. ”

“ This iudge did more vnderstande the intent of the Spaniards than any of the other past, for their interpreter had tolde unto him that they woulde remaine in the countrie for to cure sicke persons and to bury the dead, the which they could do excellent well. When the iudge heard these wordes hee gaue with his hande a great stroke vppon the table that was before him, and said with showes of great wonder unto other inferior judges that were with him: Oh! what good people are these as it seemeth ”

“ Santo Domingo, by reason that it was discouered as that day, it is in eighteene degrees, and was the first that way discouered in the Indias, by the captaine Christopher Colon, worthie of immortall memorie; it was inhabited in the yeare of 1492. This iland is in compasse more than sixe hundredth leagues; it is diuided into fiue kingdomes, the one of them is now called the Vega, which, at the time that it was discouered was called Neagua; it hath foure score leagues in compasse, and stretcheth all of them from the north vnto the south ”

“ White people as bigge as gyants. All these ilands are inhabited with white people, of comely faces, like vnto those of Europa, but not of their bodies, for that they are as bigge as gyants, and of so great force and strength: for one of them hath taken two Spaniardes, of a good stature, the one by one foot, and the other by the other, with his handes, and hath lifted them both from the grounde with so great ease, as though they had bin two children. They go naked from top to toe, as well women as men ”

“ The power of China rests rather upon the great number of towns and the multitude of inhabitants, than upon the valour of the people. There are more than sixty millions of rated persons inscribed on the royal registers, exclusive of the public functionaries and those people who are too poor to pay taxes. All the neighbouring kingdoms pay tribute to the King of China, excepting Japan, which has freed itself recently; it is on this account that the Chinese are accustomed to consider their country as the centre of the world, and to despise all other nations. ”

“ The people of China are, in general, neither brave nor skilful, nor have they any natural inclination for warlike affairs; if they maintain themselves it is by the multitude of the people, the strength of the walls and towns, and the provision of ammunition. At the boundary of the kingdom of China, where it borders on the Tartars, there is a wall of wondrous strength, of a month's journey in extent, where the king keeps a great military force in the bulwarks. ”

“ Here he doth prosecute the discouering of the New Mexico.
The nation that the saide Tobosos did conduct them to is Iumanos. called Jumanos, who, by another name are called by the Spaniards, Patara Bueyes; their prouince is very [large] and full of townes, with much people: their houses made of lime and stone, and their townes traced in very good order: al the men and women haue their faces raced, [64] and their legs and armes: they are corpulent people, and more decent then any that they had seene vntil that time: they haue great store of prouision, and hunt both of beasts and foules ”

“ Why so early in the morning?"
"My dear Perico, the first thing that you must do is to get rid of this condescending tone. When there are people present, I am perfectly willing for you to condescend, and I will call you 'most illustrious lordship' if you like; but when we are alone, just remember that I am not your vassal."
"You are always just the same, Miguel," replied Mendoza, a little exasperated.
"That is the advantage that you have over me: I am always the same; you are always changing and playing a new and brilliant rôle in society. ”

“ The interest of the narrative itself, abounding as it does with minute and curious details of the manners and customs of so peculiar a race as the Chinese, requires no vindication: it will speak for itself. It will nevertheless interest those who appreciate the objects of the Society, to know, that the present translation was made at Hakluyt's own suggestion, shortly after the appearance of Mendoza's original work in Spanish. ”

“ And spred abroade that hee had taken to him selfe the Ilandes Philippinas, and howe that all the Spaniardes that were in them, were eyther slaine or fledde away: wherewith hee put all cities and townes bordering there aboutes in great feare, and also how that he had setled himselfe upon this mightie riuer Pangasinan, whereas they did receiue him for their lord, and so they did obey him, and paide him tribute. ”

“ The father Costodio seeing his affabilitie, and as it seemed by outwarde showe that he did very much pitie them, he requested to helpe and fauour him with the viceroy, and that he would aske licence that they might remaine and dwell in that countrie, in any place where his pleasure was to appoint, for that they were men without any hurt, and would put all their care and diligence to do workes of charitie, and to procure that men might go to inioy the happie estate to the which they were borne. ”

“ Then presently was brought for the Spaniardes foure barkes, verie gallant and wide, with verie fayre galleries and windowes; and beeing imbarked, they charged them verie much to [166] make all haste possible to accomplish the commandement of the viceroy; and sent with them conuenient persons for to be their guides, and to giue them all thinges necessarie for their iourney. They traueiled continually in a mightie riuer against the current, in the which they did see many thinges woorthie to be noted for the space of foure daies that their iourney indured. ”

“ The principallest hereof came with peace for to see the Spaniards, and brought them many mantles, and shamwayes very well dressed, and great quantitie [246] of prouision: they haue their corne-fields two leagues from that place, and for to water them they take water out of a small riuer there harde by. Upon the saide riuer side they sawe many fields with roses, like vnto those that are in Spain. There are many mountaines which shewe to haue mettals, although they went not vp to see it, for that the Indians be many, and very warlike people. ”

“ The campaign of Mendoza, which ended in the horrible tragedy of Pilar, brought on by the bad faith of Aldao, was to him the poetry, the idealization, the realization of his readings. He was only eighteen, a beardless youth, unknown to the world, but he lived in an ecstasy of enthusiasm, ready at any moment to be a hero, to sacrifice himself, or to die, in order to obtain the smallest result in the cause for which he fought,—which was liberty to all as well as to himself. ”

“ If it so chance that any souldier should lacke Souldiers are punished. in his office, and not repaire to his place appointed, he is straightwayes punished very cruelly, which is the occasion that euerie one of them hath a care vnto his charge.
Their mustering is one throughout the whole kingdome. This their muster endured foure houres, and it was certified vnto the Spaniards that the same day and houre it is done in all cities and townes throughout all the whole kingdome, although they are without suspection of enimies. ”

“ At the departure of the father Costodio, one of the souldiers mind was altred, who was called Pedro de Villa Roel, and was very desirous to go with him vnto Machao, the which hee did accomplish by apparelling himself in the habite of a Portugal, because he had no licence to go otherwise. So all things being in a redinesse for their iourney, they tooke their leaue the one of the other, in shedding many teares with the griefe of minde. ”

“ They take all possible pains to avoid condemning any to death. It can scarcely be expressed how much the king is feared by his subjects: they call him god and king for the strict government and justice that he maintains in his kingdom, which is necessary from the people being bad and malicious. ”

“ The governors of provinces and those who hold any command, are chosen for their learning and great prudence, without regard to anything else, and if the sons are as able as their fathers they succeed them in their offices, otherwise they are not admitted by the king into his service. ”

“ Yet Mendoza had been a very just man, and he possessed the eminently military bearing and temper which always impose themselves on soldiers. At the present moment, too, they were more inclined to pity him than to treat him roughly, for if they did not guess what had really taken place, they were quite sure that Don John of Austria had been murdered by the King's orders, like Don Carlos and Queen Isabel and a fair number of other unfortunate persons ”

“ Upon Wednesday, which was the fourteenth of September, the wind came faire, wherewith they hoised vp their sailes and went to sea; at their departure there was at the waters side the Insuanto and the iustice of Chincheo to see them saile, the which Insuanto had conceiued so great loue and friendship of the Castillas, that when he sawe them depart [111] he shedde great aboundance of teares, as was affirmed by diuers Chinos that saw it ”

“ They are very much dreaded by all the kings in the vicinity, [lxxviii] because they can assemble, in a moment, so considerable a fleet, that it frightens them by the number of vessels; the Chinese, however, are but poor warriors, and the military is one of the four conditions which are considered mean among them. Nearly all the soldiers are malefactors, who have been condemned to perpetual slavery in the king's service; they are only fit to war with thieves. ”

“ He rose rapidly into favour under Philip IV., who appointed him private secretary, commissioned from him comedias palaciegas for the royal theatre at Aranjuez, and in 1623 conferred on him the orders of Santiago and Calatrava. Most of his contemporaries and rivals paid court to “el discreto de palacio,” and Mendoza seems to have lived on the friendliest terms with all his brother-dramatists except Ruiz de Alarcón. ”

“ The most copious notice with which I am acquainted, of the life of Mendoza, is that attributed to the pen of Iñigo Lopez de Avila, and prefixed to the Valencian edition of the "Guerra de Granada," published in 1776. But his countrymen have been ever ready to do honour to the memory of one who, by the brilliant success which he achieved as a statesman, a diplomatist, a novelist, a poet, and an historian, has established a reputation for versatility of genius second to none in the literature of Spain. ”

“ Unto the which the said captaine answered, that they came not thether to do them any harme, as they should well perceiue, and also did request them that they would not disturbe them in the prosecuting of their pretence, and gaue vnto the messenger certaine things such as they carryed with them, who did praise so [248] much the Spaniardes, that he did appease the troubled minds of the Indians, in such sort, that they did of their owne good wil grant them licence for to enter into their townes. ”

“ In this year 1550, I, being in the City of the Kings, heard that, when the most illustrious Don Antonio de Mendoza was viceroy and governor of New Spain, they found certain bones of men who must have been even larger than these giants. ”