lf free and half slave. However,
it has been impossible to determine at what age the division was made,
or at what time. The slavery of these children followed the native
condition of their parents in all things, and the children were divided
as they pertained to them, whether they were male or female, as they
were born. The same thing occurred when one was poor, and did not have
the wherewithal with which to endow or buy his wife for marriage; and
then, in order to marry her, he became her slave. Hence it resulted
that the free children who belonged to the mother were masters and
lords of their own father, and of the children who belonged to the
father, their own brothers and sisters.

474. If the mahadlicas had children by their slaves, mother and
children were all free. But if the mahadlica had intercourse with the
slave woman of another, and she became pregnant, the mahadlica gave the
master of the slave woman one-half tae of gold because of the danger
of the death of her who was pregnant, and because that her legitimate
master was deprived of the services of the pregnant woman, by reason
of him. When the woman gave birth, one-half the child remained free,
and the father was bound to take care of its support; and, if he did
not do that, he meant that he did not recognize the child as his,
and it remained all slave.

475. If any free woman had children by any slave who was not her
husband, all were free. If a free woman married a half-slave,
the children were slaves only to the one-fourth part, and they
considered that in the question of their service. The service was
divided among all those who were considered as masters, by weeks or
months, or as the masters might agree. But they had the right because
of the parts that were free to compel their masters to free them for
a just price, which was appraised in proportion to the character of
their slavery. But if one were wholly slave, he could not compel his
master to free him for any price, even if he became a slave only for
debt provided he did not pay the debt at the expiration of the time.

476. Another form of servitude was found among them, which they called
cabalangay; it included those persons who begged from the chief who
was head of their barangay whatever they needed, with the obligation
of serving him whenever they were summoned to row, work in his fields,
or serve at his banquets--they helping to meet the expense [of these]
with the tuba or quilang, whic