The Philippine Islands, 1493-1803; explorations by early navigators, descriptions of the islands and their peoples, their history and records of the Catholic missions, as related in contemporaneous books and manuscripts, showing the political, economic, commericial and religious conditions of those islands from their earliest relations with European nations to the beginning of the nineteenth century; [Vol. 1, no. 40]

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THE PHILIPPINE ISLANDS

[Vol. 40

tions, now in words, now in names and titles, which
they apply to themselves; these are various according
to the difference of the provinces, and are too numerous to mention, for they are ceremonial, and they
value their ceremonies highly. No one will pass in
front of another, without asking permission, and in
order to pass, he doubles the whole body with the
most profound bow, at the same time lifting one foot
in the air, and doubling the knee and lifting both
hands to the face. If one has to talk to any person
of higher rank, he shows all reverence and squats
down [pone en cuclillas], with raised face, and
waits thus, until he is asked his reason for coming;
for to speak without being questioned would be a
point of bad breeding. They employ many courteous acts and expressions in saluting one another when
they meet; but these do not seem to me to be so many
as in Nueva Espafia, where people do not cease to
use them until they lose sight of one another in the
street. The Filipinos do this here with greater dignity
and respect. When they write, they heighten their
style with so many rhetorical phrases, metaphors,
and pictures, that many who think themselves poets
would be glad to do as much; and yet this is only in
prose. For, when it comes to poesy, he who would
understand it must be very learned in their language,
even among his own compatriots.
423. The names which they impose now are usually high-sounding. I know a Pius V, and a Philipe
V; and, following this custom, they take as surnames
the most honorable names of Espaina. This is since
they have known Castilians. But, even before, they
could rival in this the kings of Espaina; for just as
the latter have been called "the Wise," "the Pru