orning
reunited with his body, leaving him alive as before. This story is
current in Catanduanes, but it is regarded as a fable, although the
natives assert that they have seen it.

458. We have already spoken of the osuang. It is only added that human
flesh is his usual food. They all saw this one flying, but this is
told in the Visayas and not in Tagalos.

459. The mangagayoma was the sorcerer who made use of the natural
remedies in his sorceries; but those remedies were often corrupted by
pacts with the devil. The pangatahoan is the same as the soothsayer,
who prognosticated the future; and this notion was general throughout
this archipelago. The bayoguin was an effeminate man [hombre maricon],
inclined to be a woman and to all the duties of the feminine sex.

460. This is sufficient as an index of innumerable other errors,
superstitions, and omens, in which their ancients were submerged,
and some of their descendants now follow their footsteps. However,
I am of the opinion that it is born rather of their simplicity than of
their malice, ut in plurimum. Yet I would not be so bold as to assert
that there are not some who make their contracts with the devil; and,
with or without contracts, it is certain that many enchantments are
found here, whence follow deaths to some and extraordinary accidents
to others. And although that can be attributed to the multitude of
herbs of which they have good knowledge, they always leave suspicion
of some diabolical art.

461. The oaths which were and are most usual in these Indians are
execratory. Since they lie so much, I do not know why they are
not brought to confusion in the promissory notes that are always
furnished with curses. In the oath of allegiance which the people
of Manila and Tondo took to our Catholic monarchs in the year 1571,
they confirmed that promise of their obedience in this manner:
"May the sun split us through the middle; may we be devoured by
crocodiles; may our women not show us favor or affection"--if they
should fail to keep their oath. Sometimes they took the pasambahan,
which was, to draw the figure of any wild and monstrous animal, and
ask to be torn to pieces by that animal if they broke their contract
or agreement. Sometimes they lit a candle, and declared that, just
as the candle, so might they be melted, if they did not fulfil their
promise. Now this is somewhat better, but not, their perjuries; for
with great ease and frequency one catches them