. The great slothfulness and natural carelessness of these Indians
is recognized by its results; for as yet not the slightest scrap of
writing concerning their religion and ceremonies, or their ancient
political government, has been found. Only by tradition and old songs
which have been preserved from father to son, and from other things
which they have still in use, has it been possible to trace somewhat of
their antiquity by means of some careful ministers. The first who took
his pen for this purpose, at the instance of the superior government,
was our venerable Fray Juan de Plassencia, one of the most zealous
workers in the vineyard of this archipelago, in the year 1589. [348]
So great credence was given to him in this, that his relation of the
customs of the Indians, having been received by the royal Audiencia,
was imparted to the alcaldes-mayor of the provinces for their
government. Later, in the year 1598, with but little difference in
time, Doctor Don Antonio de Morga, auditor and lieutenant-governor of
Philipinas, wrote his description. In it the same matter is treated,
taken from the other. Our Fray Antonio de la Llave, [349] afterward
(in the year 1622) used this in his description. In the year 1660,
Father Colin wrote his description, adding anew the best form. Since
this is a matter in which we cannot exceed the ancients, yet with
them all it will be necessary for me to write something, in order
that I may not leave this treatise of my description faulty.

433. These Indians had various sorts of adorations: now to animals and
birds, as did the Egyptians; now to the sun and the moon, as did the
Assyrians. The Tagalogs adored now Tigmamanoquin, which was a blue bird
of the size of a turtledove; now the crow, which they called Meylupa,
which signifies "Lord of the soil," as if he were the god Pan, or the
goddess Ceres of the ancients; now the crocodile, which they called
nono, which signifies "grandfather," to which they offered various
sacrifices in order that it might not harm them. Sometimes they adored
any old tree, especially the one they call balete, and even those now
living show respect to it; now they adored and offered gifts to the
stones, crags, reefs, and promontories of seas and rivers. All was the
result of their natural fear, so that all these things should cause
them no harm. Nevertheless, they had a knowledge of one sole God;
and accordingly they adored Him as the principal God, and greater
tha