Page 331
An. 1686
Their good opinion of the English.
bring them up in the Mahometan Religion. There- fore many of the words, especially their Prayers, are in Arabick ; and many of the words of civility, the same as in Turkey : and especially when they meet in the morning, or take leave of each other, they express themselves in that Language.
Many of the old people both Men and Women can speak Spanish, for the Spaniards were, formerly settled among them, and had several Forts on this Island ; and then they sent two Friers to this City, to convert the Sultan of Mindanao and his people. At that time these people began to learn Spanish, and the Spaniards incroached on them and endea- voured to bring them into subjection ; and proba- bly before this time had brought them all under their yoak, if they themselves had not been drawn off from this Island to Manila, to resist the Chinese, who threatened to invade them there. When the Spaniards were gone, the old Sultan of Mindanao, Father to the present, in whose time it was, razed and demolished their Forts, brought away their Guns, and sent away the Friers, and since that time will not suffer the Spaniards to settle on the Islands.
They are now most afraid of the Dutch, being sensible how they have inslaved many of the neighbouring Islands. For that reason they have a long time desired the English to settle among them, and have offered them any convenient place to build a Fort in, as the General himself told us ; giving this reason, that they do not find the English so incroaching as the Dutch or Spanish. The Dutch are no less jealous of their admitting the English, for they are sensible what detriment it would be to them if the English should settle here.
There are but few Tradesmen at the City of Mindanao. The chiefest Trades are Goldsmiths, Blacksmiths, and Carpenters. There are but 2 or 3