The Philippine Islands, 1493-1898 — Volume 22 of 55 / 1625-29 / 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, commercial and religious conditions of those islands from their earliest relations with European nations to the close of the nineteenth century.

by Unknown

Relation of 1627–28

Copy of a relation-written by a father of this residence of Manila on the condition of these Filipinas Islands, and other surrounding kingdoms and provinces, from the month of July, 1627, until that of 1628.

In the port of Cavite, which lies three leguas away from and opposite the city of Manila, four very fine galleons were being equipped, that in size and strength could compare with the best in the world. For the flagship was the “Concepción;” for almiranta, the “Santa Teresa;” while the other two were called “San Yldefonso” and the “Peña de Francia.” Besides these there was another smaller ship called the “Rosario,” and two other pataches and two galleys. The work was progressing rapidly; for as soon as the merchant ships that sail to Nueva España were despatched, our people had to begin their voyage to the island of Hermosa near China, in order to dislodge the Dutch who were fortifying themselves there.[1] That might result in notable damage to this city of Manila, and to Macao, by obstructing their trade with China, Japon, and other kingdoms. The food, ammunition, and artillery were already embarked, and many implements of war, in order to carry on the war by sea and land. On July 7. they began to lade the flagship with quantities of tiling which it was also necessary to take. But, burdened with the great weight, the flagship showed that it was not to make the voyage; for it commenced to leak so badly that it could not be kept pumped out. Consequently, it was necessary to unlade it, and they had to resolve to leave it behind in the port, to their great sorrow.

The galleon “San Yldefonso” became the flagship. The season was already advanced, and especially for the galleys, which need more calm weather to enable them to navigate. Accordingly, the galleys were despatched ahead July 26, under command of Don Pedro Alcarazo. On August 17, the chief part of the fleet, namely, the galleons and pataches, left port. Governor Don Juan Niño de Tabora was in the flagship; master-of-camp Don Lorenzo de Olaso in the almiranta; in the “Peña de Francia,” Sargento-mayor Alonso Martin Quirante, an old and well-tried soldier; in the ship “Rosario,” Captain Lazaro de Torres, a daring man in war; and in the other two pataches, two other captains. Each vessel carried a quantity of artillery, each galleon having more than forty very large pieces. There were many and very courageous men; although when they saw that contrary weather was setting in it did not fail to dishearten them, as was immediately seen. For scarcely had they left the port of Cavite (even before emerging from that bay), when so fierce a storm overtook them that the fleet was in danger of being wrecked. One patache sprang a leak, and commenced to take in water so badly that it was forced to make port and remain there. The governor—seeing that as the season was so late, it was quite possible that he could not get to the island of Hermosa and return to port with the fleet; and as quite a long period had passed since any reënforcement had been sent to our fort on the same island of Hermosa; and since he imagined that they were suffering very great need of everything necessary—in the probability of what might happen, determined to send Captain Lázaro de Torres ahead with his little vessel the “Rosario,” which was carrying a large quantity of food. As it was a small, swift-sailing ship, he hoped that it would surely arrive, which was not looked for in regard to the rest of the fleet. We shall relate the experience of this vessel later.

Our fleet proceeded on its course, but with so contrary winds from the north that they [as it were,] consumed the vessels; and the seas ran mountain high toward the heavens, so that one would believe that they were trying to engulf them. They reached Cape Bojeador, although after considerable danger. That is the end of the island of Manila, where one crosses to the island of Hermosa. At that point the storms increased so violently that, a council of the pilots having been called, all thought that they should put in to port; for it was impossible to go any farther until the next year, when the expedition could be undertaken at a better season. They put back, and the fleet reentered Cavite on September 6. That was considered as not a little [good fortune by the Dutch]; for, as was afterward learned from some Dutchmen, whom the Portuguese of Macan captured, the enemy on the island of Hermosa were very weak and determined not to fight, but to leave their fort at the arrival of our fleet. Now the Dutch will be in a state of readiness, so that it will cost a triumph to capture the fort; and, even, may it please God that we can gain such a result.

Some fathers of St. Dominic and of our Society were going in the fleet with the intention of remaining in the island of Hermosa, in order to engage in the conversion of its natives who are heathen. As servants of our fathers were also going two disguised Japanese fathers, in order to see whether they might go to Japon by way of the island of Hermosa. Their provincial had sent them for that purpose from Macan; for, as the door of Japon is so tightly closed, Ours seek extraordinary means to enter there, to aid that afflicted Christian people.

But let us return to follow our galleys. One can well guess how they would fare, when so large galleons suffered from the storm. They were struck very severely, but they made their voyage nevertheless, until they sighted the fort of the Dutch enemy on the island of Hermosa. From there, they put back to this island of Manila, in the province of Ylocos, because of the violence of the weather. While in port there, they had so fierce a storm that, having been hardly used by the past storm, their seams opened and they went to the bottom. Twenty convicts were drowned, and three Spaniards. The other men, even the commander himself, got away by swimming, and, as the land was near, they were able to reach it without much difficulty. That disastrous news reached this city October 20.

We come now to the ship “Rosario” in which Captain Lazaro de Torres was sailing. It made its voyage, although not without trouble. It reached our fort on the island of Hermosa, and its arrival gladdened and rejoiced our men greatly, for they were in great need of food. It had been more than a year since aid had been sent to them from Manila. At the ship’s arrival, it was found that a disaster had overtaken our men. It happened that there was a chief on the river of Tanchuy, not far from our fort, who professed great friendship for our men for his reasons of state, which are not wanting even among barbarians. Those reasons were that that chief had wars of long standing with another chief whose domain was on the other side of the river; and he wished to have our men on his side, for whatever might happen. Our men trusting to his friendship, and forced by the necessity that they were suffering, the commander sent Captain Don Antonio de Vera with twenty Spaniards to the said river of Tanchuy to bring back rice to our men; for that is the ordinary bread, and that country abounds plentifully with it. Captain Antonio de Vera and his twenty Spaniards remained one or two months with the chief of Tanchuy, who, although he feasted them, did not conclude by giving them the provisions to return. The captain began to fear some detention, and sent to our fort for more men, in order to negotiate with arquebuses what they were unable to compass by kindness; but these were not sent. The chief concerted secretly with his opponent, and made peace with him. One day he took Captain Don Antonio and the other Spaniards out hunting; and suddenly attacked them, and killed the said captain and seven others. They first sold their lives, and with greed for death itself, killed some of their false friends, really their enemies—among them the very chief who contrived that treachery. The other Spaniards sought shelter in a small boat which they had there, left the river, and went to our fort, giving news of the disaster just as Captain Lazaro de Torres arrived. With the help that had just come to them, they determined to take vengeance for that perfidy. The commandant sent the said captain, Lazaro de Torres, with one of the galleys which they had there, accompanied by one hundred infantrymen. They entered the river of Tanchuy, which is very beautiful, and densely inhabited by the natives. The latter immediately deserted their settlements, and our men went to the rice granaries, and filled their galley and four large champans, which are used as freight ships in these seas. They could have filled fifty if they had had them, so great is the abundance in that country. They captured I know not how many persons; then without doing any more evil or burning their villages, they retired with plenty of food, which was the most important thing. This feat having been performed, the said Lazaro de Torres returned with his ship to Manila, where he entered February 21, 1628.

On the same day that our fleet reached the port of Cavite, which was, as aforesaid, September 6, 1627, a cho (a craft which is used in these waters, whose sails are made of rushes) came from Macan. It warned the Portuguese galliots which had come from that city to this with great wealth of merchandise, and which were about to return with about one million in silver, that they should take note that the Dutch enemy were stationed in the passage of Macan, awaiting them with four ships in order to capture them, and that they should change their direction and course. Thereupon, Governor Don Juan Niño de Tabora, seeing that our fleet was ready, and that it would be a fine thing to effect some stroke with the Dutch, as well as for other ends which will be told later, resolved to send two galleons, to act as escort to the Macan galliots. The Portuguese gave twenty thousand pesos to help the soldiers. On October 13 the said galliots, five in number, left with the flagship “San Yldefonse,” in which Don Juan de Alcarazo went as commander; in the other galleon, the “Peña de Francia,” Don Pedro de Mendiola went as commander. Each galleon carried about six hundred persons. They were so well equipped that they could fight with any Dutch ships whatever. Father Ygnacio de Muxica of our Society, and a brother, were in the flagship, and a father of St. Francis in the other galleon. Both galleons suffered great troubles from whirlwinds, seas, and storms all the way to Macan. One day our flagship snapped the topmast of its mainmast and it fell down. Another day the mast sprang, and knocked the rudder out of place, and it had to be repaired. Another day they were all but wrecked on the reefs of La Plata. On another occasion they lost their rudder completely, and they had to steer the ship with the sheets of the mizzenmast; on another, they lost their anchors while quite near Macan. They grounded in two and one-half brazas of water, and had not the bottom been sandy they would have been smashed into a thousand pieces. They cut down the mainmast and lightened the ship, and got it out of the sand after the greatest of toil, for it was almost buried. The other galleon had its troubles too, but it was fortunate in making port at Sanchuan on the Chinese coast, where our father St. Francis Javier died, about thirty leguas from Macan. The galliots entered the latter place safely, for the Dutch ships were no longer in the strait, as I shall recount later in order not to interrupt at present the thread of our history of our galleons and their adventures. The latter were very ill received by the Portuguese because of the twenty thousand pesos which they cost, and because it was seen that the Dutch had deserted the strait. They judged the matter by the effect and not by what might have happened had the enemy captured their galliots with so great a sum of silver. Our galleons stayed more than three months at that place refitting, stepping a mast and replacing the rudder, and getting food in Macan. They bought a patache, of which they had great need. On the eighteenth of February the two galleons and patache sailed out to pursue their voyage. The latter was sent by the commander, Don Juan Alcarazo, to take its station in the bay of the kingdom of Tonquin and Cochinchina, in order to await a ship from Siam of which it should make a prize; and then to go with it in search of the two galleons. The fact is that they had an order from Governor Don Juan Niño de Tabora to capture all the Siamese vessels for reprisal, inasmuch as five years ago a ship was taken from us in that kingdom, although it was friendly to us. The ship was said to be valued at one million in merchandise, and was on its way from Macan to Manila. Several Spaniards were killed. An embassy having been sent under Father Pedro de Morejon, as I wrote in another relation, the Siamese returned to us only the value of ten thousand pesos.

That patache, whose captain was Diego Lopez Lobo, a Portuguese, and which carried thirty Spaniards, waited two months in the said place, sailing about hither and thither. When the king of Cochinchina saw it, fearing lest it capture some vessels that he was expecting in his kingdom, he sent a father of the Society (one of those who reside in his court and other places, who I think are sixteen in number) in a small ship to tell the captain not to do any harm to anything belonging to his kingdom, and that he had always been a friend to us. Answer was returned that the presence of the ship in that region was not to do harm to Cochinchina, but to attain certain purposes which his captain-general had ordered him. Finally, on Thursday, the twentieth of April, a great freight ship was sighted, one of the sort that sail these seas. The Spaniards attacked it, and although its occupants tried to defend themselves, they were obliged to see that they had no defense against our artillery and musketry. They surrendered, and it was found to be the ship which was being sought. It was one which the king of Siam sends every year to Canton with some tribute for the king of China. It was returning with great wealth of silks and other things, and carried sixty Siamese and sixty Chinese. Half of the men were placed aboard our patache, and soldiers were transferred from the patache to the said Siamese ship. The strict vigilance necessary was maintained, as our men were so few, so that they should not be killed some night. The patache set out in search of the galleons, in the direction that had been set. But the winds were contrary in that direction, and they were unable to make any distance. Consequently, they had to sail with a stern wind to Manila. With their captured reprisal they reached this city on May 14. The cargo of the Siamese ship was unladed carefully, and it was found that it was worth about one hundred thousand pesos. It was placed on deposit in a building and excellent treatment is being given to the Siamese. But I think that they will be sent to their king, so that he may return us what he took from us, in which case we shall return what we captured from him. If that is not done, then we shall continue to capture their ships.

When the two galleons left Manila, the governor offered to send a patache after them to a certain place, and did so a little later; it was under command of Don Fernando Becerra, with about sixty men. They had bad weather. They looked for our galleons, and although they found traces of their having been in certain parts, they did not find the vessels. They only found a fine ship which was well equipped with artillery, and, thinking it to be one of our galleons, drew near it. But when quite near they saw that it was a Dutch ship, and consequently began to retire in all haste. The ship followed our patache, but as the latter was as swift as a bird it made so much headway in a short time that the ship abandoned the chase in despair. Our patache continued to retire toward Manila, where it arrived June 6, having lost fifteen men, who died of sickness, among them a Franciscan religious who was aboard. Consequently, our galleons were left without any patache, for one patache came in with the Siamese ship and the other did not find them. That was a matter of considerable damage; for, as the galleons were so large, they drew much water, and could not well go close to the shore in order to secure the desired results—as we shall see during the course of their voyage, which was as follows.

As soon as they left the patache in the said passage for the purpose of capturing the Siamese ship, they ran along the whole coast of Asia until they reached the island of Hainam, where the fishery of Great China is located, a place most plentifully supplied with food. They went to the kingdom of Champa, and anchored at Pulo Condor, where they sent out their lanchas with forty Spaniards, and about twenty Indians and negroes, to see whether they could get the water which was very necessary to them. In the meantime the galleons kept moving about on one tack or another; but they were overtaken by so violent a storm that they had to go to another island called Pulo Ubi, leaving the lanchas with their men ashore, and as yet nothing has been heard of the latter. But it is thought that they are in Camboja, for that king is friendly to us, and will have welcomed them, as they were only eight leguas from the bar of Camboja.[2] Thus the galleons were left without pataches or lanchas. They went to Pulo to land at the kingdom of Pan, where they anchored and got water; and they took food from the inhabitants of the country until the latter arose against and wounded some of our men. But our men killed some of them, among them a nephew of the king of Pan himself. The Spaniards took away two boats from them, from which they made boats such as we use. While at that place, a ship manned by Chinese and Malays was captured. They were coming with flags and passports from the Dutch, with whom they were trading. They were captured on that account, although they had nothing of any value, for they had left their merchandise in the kingdom of Pan. It was heard that there were Dutch ships in the strait of Malaca, which were committing depredations. The Spaniards sent a lancha manned by soldiers and an adjutant, to reconnoiter; but after spying carefully until they were quite near Malaca, no Dutch were discovered, and they returned to the galleons with that news. While they were there, the king of Pan wrote in very complimentary manner to our commander, and, not saying that he knew of the death of his nephew, offered our men everything that they needed, so great fear had seized him. A lancha was sent to the kingdom of Patani to see whether there was a Dutch factory there, as was usual. Two Javanese were brought back, who said that two years ago, when that kingdom was in power, they had driven the Dutch from that place. They had a great quantity of pepper (which is the product yielded by that kingdom), for there was no one to whom to sell it, as they had sold it to the Dutch before. The commander wrote to them to have their men take a load of it to Manila, and that it would be bought from them; and also that he would give them indemnity for a slight injury which some of his men had done them, not knowing that they were friends, by taking a small quantity of rice from them, which the fleet and those who brought it needed. The men fled, without giving any account of themselves.

The galleons went to the coasts of Ligor and Siam, and discovered three somas, freight ships of these seas. The lanchas attacked them; and, while fighting with them, fire was set to two jars of powder that the Spaniards had there. Twelve persons were burned, seven of whom died. Thereupon they retired, and the somas escaped. Afterward three other somas were discovered, which were coming from Siam. The lanchas were sent after them and defeated them, and brought them to the galleons. They were carrying as merchandise, rice, considerable pepper, and some cloth. The last named was much needed by the infantry, who already had rib shirts on account of the long voyage. The galleons entered the bay of Siam, and found three somas on the bar. One was Japanese, and carried drugs and merchandise. It was captured in good faith, but the justification of this act is being discussed. It is thought that the Japanese will be remunerated for the injury received, as they ought not to have been harmed.

Another of the somas belonged to the Siamese king, and was being laden to go to China for the purpose of trading lead, ivory, silver, leather, etc. As they were unable to get it outside of the bar, for it was very large and needed the high tide, they set fire to it and took the Siamese to the galleons. That would have been a prize or reprisal of importance had it been captured, and not burned. Then another Siamese soma laden with pepper and tin was captured, and a reprisal was made of it. The galleons returned, reconnoitering all those ports, to see whether there were any Dutch in them. Although they did not find any, they left those kingdoms in terror, for although our galleons were very large, report made them much greater. Rumor said that each one contained more than one thousand men, and pieces of vast size, which fear magnified greatly. Finally, the two galleons returned to port on the thirteenth of June after an eight months’ voyage, with the death of more than forty men. The galleon “Peña de Francia” had many sick men, but only one man had died in the flagship; and he had died in port, as he was sick when he had embarked. The chief cause was the great care taken of the sick. That was attended to chiefly by the father and brother of our Society who were in the said flagship. Thus they all arrived safe and sound and happy, and all this city was joyful over their return.[3]

I said above that when our galleons arrived at Macan with the galliots they did not find the Dutch ships, and I said that I would tell why; and I shall do so now, before passing on. While the Chinese of Macan were awaiting the ships from Yndia, and thinking of making the usual voyage to Japon with four ships which they had already prepared, two ships and a patache and a galliot of the Dutch came in sight of the city, on July 21. The larger ship and the galliot stationed themselves in an entrance where the galliots from India enter and those for Japon leave. The other smaller ship and the patache took the other entrance, where the vessels that sail from Manila and other places enter. The design of the Dutch was to capture the vessels en route from Yndia, Filipinas, and other kingdoms; and to prevent the voyage to Japon, which forms the chief gain of the city of Macan. The people, seeing their affliction—and that a galliot en route from Yndia had escaped the enemy as by a miracle, and entered the city safely; and that they had scarcely been able to despatch to Japon one of the ships which they had prepared, at great risk of the Dutch capturing it, which the latter made all possible efforts to do—set about preparing a small fleet of merchant vessels to see whether they could lure away some vessel of the enemy, and attack and capture it. Five ships and six chos were prepared, the latter weak vessels which sail the Chinese seas. Artillery was mounted in them which could not have been very large, for the ships were not very large or strong. Commanders were appointed for all of them. A father of our Society embarked in each one for the expedition. In short, everything was prepared with the efficient care and solicitude of the chief captain of Macan, Don Felipe Lobo, who was governing that city. It only remained to assign the chief commander of all, over which there was great strife, for all wished to command and no one to obey. Consequently, one thing was resolved upon, which except among the Portuguese of Yndia, where there is so little practice in war or military knowledge, could not pass, and will cause laughter to whoever reads it—namely, that each one of the commanders of the ships should have command for his day, and should be superior of the others. They were to begin by lot, and he who should get the first lot was to have command the first day, and he the second who should get the second lot, and so one with the others, until the five days were finished. Then they were to take command again in the same way. They left port and found that the flagship of the Dutch was alone; for the galliot which accompanied it had gone to Japon, and the other ship with the patache had gone to their fort on the island of Hermosa. The Portuguese attacked the ship with great energy and valor, although with little plan, and defeated it. The Dutch captain-general, who was a circumspect man, by name Nicholas Cadem, sailed out to seek a hot engagement, and was killed. Thereupon the Dutch boldly set fire to the powder-barrels and blew up a great part of the ship, many of the Dutch jumping into the water. They were picked up by the Portuguese and taken into their ships. Twelve men of the Portuguese were killed and twenty-seven of the Dutch, while some thirty odd were captured. The half-burnt ship of the enemy was taken to Macan. They captured fourteen pieces of artillery in it and more than one thousand balls and other weapons. It was a pity that that ship was burned, for it was very fine and was well built. It was covered and lined with leather and sheets of lead. However, it is said that it will be of use if repaired. That victory happened on August 25, 1627. Consequently, when our galleons arrived with the galliots, the sea was already cleared of the enemy.

Since we do not find a port of China in Macan it will be right for us to enter the interior, and we shall tell what is passing [there] in the spiritual and temporal. Christianity continues to increase. There are twenty-two members of the Society in all China, established at the court of Pequin and other chief cities. Ours go about there with more liberty and publicity than they have ever done. Happy times are expected if the uncle of the king who is now reigning enters into the kingdom, as is heard, and if the king is held in guardianship, as he is a boy. The latter succeeded his brother who died.[4] Immediately upon entering his kingdom, he exiled from his court a eunuch, a prime favorite of his brother, who had command of everything and even played the tyrant; he also exiled other favorites. The seas of that kingdom of China are infested with pirates from China itself, and they are so numerous that it is said that there are more than a thousand ships of them. They pillage everything and infest all places, and have sacked and burned many maritime places of that great kingdom. They have been the cause this year of very few ships coming to these islands to trade; for the mandarins have put an embargo on all ships, in order to build a large fleet to oppose the said pirates. A large stone was found in the interior of China with Chinese and some Chaldean characters, which tell how preachers of the gospel came to China a thousand years ago and preached the gospel. They had bishops, and many churches and Christians, and the mysteries of our faith were established there. As it is a long matter I shall not relate it here, but shall only say that after having examined the circumstances, it appears to be true, without ground for doubt of it.[5]

Father Juan Adan, of the Society of Jesus, wrote the following. He lives in Pequin.

“The affairs of this kingdom of China are in a condition of perfect peace. A rumor was current many days ago that the Tartar king, the fear of this empire, was dead.[6] As he had many sons, and had conquered many lands from his other neighbors, the sons will be kept quite busy for some few years in coming to terms with one another, and in dividing and maintaining what their aged father left them. A few days ago, a mandarin related to Father Nicolas Longobardo[7] that he had seen in the palace an image of a woman with two small boys and an old man. It must be David who was playing the harp for them. It is not an idol of the Chinese, for the image is about a thousand years old, and was a present from foreigners in the time of Tam-Chao, when our holy law entered China, as your Reverence will already know from the stone which was found, and the painting of the old man on linen, a figure which resembles us. This point needs investigation, in order that we may know what it is with greater certainty.” The father continues, making mention of an earthquake that happened in China.

Let us return to the island of Hermosa, whence a boat came on March 13, with the news that a great mandarin had come from China to our fort, to ascertain what people they had recently received as neighbors. I will briefly state the reason for his coming. A Chinaman bribed by the Dutch took certain memoranda to the mandarins, in which a thousand evil things were said of the Spaniards (namely, that they were certain robbers), while the Dutch were praised—all with the object that trade be forbidden with Manila, and opened with the Dutch, which is the thing that they have always been trying to do, and to which the Chinese have always been opposed. Another Chinaman was not wanting who took up the matter on his own account, and said: “The Dutch who pillage those kingdoms, and are rebels to their king, are rather the robbers and pirates, and not the Spaniards, who are good men; with them we trade in Manila, and they do not constrain us except by many very good works.” Upon seeing that, the viceroy of the maritime provinces sent the said mandarin to the new port which we had occupied in the island of Hermosa, to examine and investigate what kind of people we were, and what were our purposes in making a settlement so near China. The mandarin was very cordially received by the commandant of the island of Hermosa, Antonio Carreño de Valdes, who regaled him and made much of him, and gave him a fine present at his departure. He told the mandarin that our intentions were good, and that we did not intend to harm China, but rather to aid them by punishing the pirates who infested those seas. The mandarin was despatched, but put back once and twice to the fort. He was received well each time and well treated by the said commandant. He put back the third time, and for shame refused to return to our fort, but anchored not far from it; there the natives cut his moorings one night, and, drawing the ship to land, entered it and pillaged whatever they wished, and treated the mandarin with contumely. In the morning, when the commandant got wind of the affair, he sent a troop of soldiers. Attacking the natives with orders not to kill them (for the soldiers shot their bullets into the sky), they captured some chiefs. Thereupon, the chiefs restored to the Chinese mandarin what they had pillaged from him; and, in order to regain their liberty, handed over to us their sons as hostages, who are being reared in our fort. Thereupon the mandarin was sent away, very thankful. An account of all this affair was sent to Manila to the governor, who immediately despatched the father-provincial of St. Dominic—who knows the Chinese language, and has tried by various ways and means for many years to enter China, but never has been able to succeed.[8] This despatch seemed now to be a good means to him—I mean to the said father-provincial—so that in company with the said commandant of the island of Hermosa, they might go to the viceroy of the maritime provinces with a very rich present of silver, cloth, and other things. Those articles were sent for that purpose so that those provinces might make a treaty with our fort on the island of Hermosa, where the said father-provincial is preparing to go with the commandant on the embassy, the result of which I shall tell next year.

The aid of food and ammunition was sent to the forts which we have in the Malucas Islands this year, as usual. Three pataches went, under the command of a valiant soldier, Captain Francisco Hernandez. The Dutch had received a very large and well-equipped ship, with which they were waiting to capture our relief expedition. The two pataches easily escaped, and sought the protection of our forts. But the ship in which the said Captain Francisco Hernandez was, seeing that it could not escape, courageously went to attack the [Dutch] ship. When that was seen from our fort of Terrenate, the galley was despatched to the aid of our ship. The latter grappled with the hostile vessel and fought so courageously, that its men were about to enter the latter, when, the Dutch firing a piece, it struck in the powder which had been brought up on deck for the fight. Thereupon our vessel caught fire, and the men took to the water, and reached the shore, which was near, by swimming. The galley, which through fear of the powder of our ship which was blown up, had approached very near the enemy’s ship, was capsized by all the men going to one side. Consequently, all its men took to the water in order to escape by swimming. Thus the enemy were victorious, although more of their men were killed than of ours. They tried to take the galley, notwithstanding its condition, but it sank in a few moments. That was a great misfortune. The enemy were triumphant, and made much ado about the outcome.

The Camucones are certain robbers who live on the sea, and constantly infest our seas of Filipinas; they came this year, as they have done in others. A small fleet of our caracoas—vessels that look like galleys, although they are smaller and weaker—went out to attack them from the island of Oton. Our vessels captured three of the enemy’s caracoas, while four others grounded on the beach. The latter were burned by our Indians, and the Camucones who disembarked were killed. Therefore, we are free from that canaille for this year, and they nave done us but little harm. A large hostile caracoa was discovered on the coast of the city of Cebu. The Spaniards went out to it and, having overtaken it, its people instead of surrendering and delivering up themselves, received our men with a volley of stones which they cast from certain slings, and showers of spears. When our men saw that the enemy would not easily come to terms, they attacked and killed them. Only six of them were left alive, who with the prize and boat were taken to the said city of Cebu, where the attempt was made to ascertain their purpose and from what land they came. But it was impossible to ascertain anything, for they understood none of the languages spoken here, although there are so many. They were thought to be people who had been blown from some island.[9] They were naked, and had no firearms, nor even weapons of iron. Their ship had no nails, and a chisel that was found was made of bone. They ate lice with a good grace—by that propensity, being people of good taste. Some thought them to be from an island more distant than Borney; for the inhabitants of that island eat lice, and the fat ones with especial liking.

The governor established a shipyard this year in the province of Camarines—which is a part of this island of Manila—in order to build a couple of galleons, two or three galleys, and a like number of brigantines, for there was need of all. For that purpose he sent some Spaniards, and a number of Chinese and Indians, to build the ships; a considerable quantity of iron for nails, much rice for food, four pieces of artillery to garrison themselves, and, in short, all that was necessary. They settled at the said place and began their building. The king of Jolo left his island, which was subject and tributary for a long time, and it was years since he was rebellious. He went out with two thousand men, in more than thirty caracoas, which are called joangas when they are large. He came among our islands, and first captured from us a ship and a quantity of iron (which is an article that they esteem highly). They also captured balls, fuses, and all that the ship was carrying to the shipyard. Then they captured another ship from us with sixty Indians and two Spaniards, who were going to cut wood for the building of the ships. They had interpreters, and found out where the shipyard was located. They went there before dawn, landed seven hundred well-armed men, and commenced to kill and rob. The Spaniards were quite off their guard, and had not fortified themselves and mounted the artillery, as they ought to have done. They quickly seized their arms, and began to fire their arquebuses. The enemy first killed for us two of our Spaniards, whereupon only twelve Spaniards were left. Of the other men the enemy took no account, for many were already captured or killed. Some tried to flee, and some sought the shelter of our arquebuses in a storehouse where the provisions were kept, where the Spaniards had retired, and where they remained fighting, because of their few number, until shortly after midday. By that time five of them were wounded, and only seven were left who could fight. They ran short of ammunition and fuses, because the enemy had taken them, as I have said. Thereupon, they resolved to embark in a large boat which they had, back of the said storehouse on a river, his Majesty’s silver, all the arms, the women and children, and the other Indians who had taken shelter there. Immediately the twelve Spaniards, both the wounded and the sound, embarked, and went up the river. Therefore, the camp was left to the king of Jolo and his men. They remained there for some days, eating and drinking as if in their own homes. They embarked the four pieces of artillery which our men could not take, and collected all the iron that they could load into their ships; and even then they did not take all that there was, for there was much of it. Consequently, they left a great part of it ashore. They robbed many things of value, and a great quantity of rice which they found—a matter of about one thousand fanegas—they scattered and threw into the sea, for they had no need of it. They killed and captured many, and among them a Spanish woman, and thereupon they retired triumphant. However they were surprised that so few Castilians, as they say, made front for so long against so many of their men. The king left a letter for the governor; and one of the seigniors of Europa could not apparently write more prudently or in more just manner. He said in the letter that he had made that demonstration because a chief of his named Achen, having been sent as ambassador to Manila, had been ill-treated here. He had been thrust into prison and his possessions taken away from him, among them three exceedingly beautiful pearls of extraordinary size, such as are obtained in that kingdom and island. It is a fact that all the above was done to his ambassador Achen; but the reason for it was because, after he had been honorably despatched from Manila in order that he might return to his country, he sailed out with his vessel, which resembled a beautiful small galley, pillaging all whom he met. Consequently, men were sent against him; and they captured him on his way and took him to Manila, where they took away his possessions and imprisoned him. Although they might have hanged him, they did not do so, but despatched him to his country once more. He returned thence for the second time as ambassador, with a very haughty and arrogant message. They sent him away, and he went to the limits of these Filipinas Islands; and as soon as he thought that he would be safe, began to pillage, and took refuge [with his allies]. Accordingly the king of Jolo was ill informed in what he wrote. The latter, on leaving the shipyard, attacked another of our islands, called Bantayan, where he was resisted by three Spaniards and one secular priest with arquebuses, until their powder was gone. That happened during the night; and then the Spaniards and the ecclesiastic retired, whereupon the Joloans landed. Inasmuch as the island abounds in certain large thorns, which form its greatest defense against a barefooted enemy, such as are the Joloans, they wore as a protection certain wooden shoes resembling coarse leather sandals [abarca] with which they landed. They captured many of the natives. Then they attacked Ogonuc, a village in charge of the fathers of the Society, and pillaged it, as well as what our house and church contained, even to the bells. The father was not there, and so they did not capture him. The enemy took heavy spoils in everything; but, what was a cause for greater pain, they captured more than three hundred Indians. They sell them as slaves to heathen kingdoms, and in the end the slaves become like the masters. While the above was happening, as report of it had already gone forth, the commandant of Cebu and lieutenant of the captain-general, Christobal de Lugo, prepared his fleet of caracoas, in order to go out to engage the enemy and take away their booty. He sailed out and sighted the enemy at two in the afternoon. The enemy, seeing him, began to flee; and in order to do so with greater freedom, abandoned astern some eight small boats boats—a matter of small importance. Our fleet continued to pursue them, but they put so much strength into their rowing that they distanced our men. Their craft are extremely swift, and have two prows, so that it is unnecessary to turn about in order to flee. The night descended, and the enemy escaped, to the great grief of our men. They, seeing the so great disaster that was happening to us, and that the enemy had gone away making a jest of us, sent Father Fabricio Sarsali of our Society from the city of Cebu with orders to go to Manila to inform the governor, and get permission from him to go to seek the enemy in their own country. For that purpose they needed food, some silver, and some soldiers, besides those that they had there. The father came, negotiated successfully, and all that he requested was given him; and they were ordered to go to punish the Joloan enemy. However they were not to approach a strong fort that the Joloans had on a hill on top of a steep rock, as that was a very dangerous undertaking, where twice in former years the Spaniards had been defeated. Accordingly, the capture of that fort required a greater force and a more favorable opportunity. The father returned with his despatch. The caracoas of the island of Oton and those of Cebu were prepared, which formed, as it were, two squadrons. Many other caracoas of volunteer Indian chiefs joined them, so that all together they numbered thirty or forty. About two hundred Spaniards and more than one thousand six hundred Indians embarked in them. On April 22, they reached the beach of the island of Jolo. At one o’clock of the day, the commander landed one hundred Spaniards and a number of Indians, leaving the other men behind for the defense of the fleet so that it might come to no hurt. They espied a flourishing settlement, of which they had hitherto had no information; for the king and his men live on top of the hill, for greater safety. But, being desirous of enjoying trade and commerce with other kingdoms, they had built that city. Between it and us was the river. Seeing that this matter was one of quickness and determination, they immediately crossed the river, part in boats, but the majority in water up to their waists. They attacked the settlement, and although the Joloans tried to resist, they were unable; accordingly, they retired, and our men entered the settlement and sacked it. It contained quantities of gold, cloth, and other things, especially in the palaces of the king, which were very rich and beautiful, and curiously carved, as was also the mosque. That island is inhabited by Moros. Our men captured three versos and two falcons, one hundred and fifty muskets and arquebuses, and a flag which the enemy had captured from us in the shipyard. They esteemed the flag very highly, as they had captured it from Spaniards. The Spaniards set fire to the settlement and to a village of Lutaos, who are fishermen, as well as to the alcaicería which the Chinese had there. Everything was burned, including a very large supply of rice which they had gathered, and which will cause them great want. A quantity of powder and sulphur was also burned, besides more than sixty joangas. These were the ships of their fleet, in which they went out to pillage, using besides more than a hundred other small craft, which also were broken up and burned; so that not a single ship was left to them. Then the Spaniards looked for the tombs of the kings, in accordance with the order given from Manila by the governor. The tombs are highly esteemed by the Joloans. They found three wonderful and splendid ones, especially one of them, which was the one for the present king. They also burned these, although the Joloans tried to prevent them. All this was accomplished in the same afternoon when much of the fleet arrived; the men then retired to their ships. Next day, which was Easter Sunday, the Spaniards heard that at a certain point there was a large joanga belonging to the same king, and three versos. Again they disembarked and burned the said joanga and captured the versos. Upon all these occasions the captain-general was the first to disembark, the last to enter the vessel, and the first in all places where they went. With him went Father Fabricio Sarsali, with a banner on which was an image of our father St Francis Javier, who had been taken as patron of that expedition.

After all that had been accomplished, the commander, Don Cristobal de Lugo, sent a letter to the king which had been sent him from Manila by the governor, in reply to that which the king had written him. The governor had ordered that the letter should not be sent until after the punishment had been accomplished. The king replied, as the senate of Venecia might have done, with more courtesies and reasons of state. For writing it he employed as secretary the Spanish woman whom he had captured at the shipyard, who is named Doña Lucia, of whom he is very fond. Consequently, although the Spanish commander tried to ransom her and offered as much as six hundred pesos for her, the king would not surrender her—answering that it was not consistent with his greatness to give her up for money; but that he would send her freely, if they would give him in recompense the falcons and versos which they had captured from him, and one of the slave women who was in our power. The slave woman was sent him, but not the artillery, and a fine thing it would have been to arm the enemy to ransom one woman. Thus did she remain in their power, but made half a queen. Some of the enemy were killed, and others captured. Some of those whom the king had captured from us came to us, but not all, for most of them had been sold in other kingdoms. Great was the booty, and the Indians who went on that expedition were rich and eager for other expeditions. Not a single one of our men was killed or wounded. Thus all of them returned to embark, laden with spoils and happy. The enemy were left chastised and ruined for many years. Then our fleet went to another island near there, called Taguima, whose inhabitants went out to pillage with the Joloans. They had already been advised, and accordingly fled to the mountains. Our men landed, and burned a large village, in which there was nothing but common things. They laid waste all the palm-trees, and did them all the damage possible. Then the fleet went to the island of Mindanao. A letter was despatched from the port of La Caldera to the sultan of that island, notifying him to come to see our commander, but he refused to do so, and made excuses; but the truth was, that he was afraid. He sent an ambassador and wrote a letter to the governor of Manila, in which he begged for fathers of the Society and one hundred infantrymen to build a fort (which is the thing that we desire), from which to destroy the Joloans, who are also his enemy at present.

A great portion of the province of Cagayan, which is located in this island of Manila, has been in revolt for some years. An extensive raid was made this year by our Spaniards and two thousand friendly Indians. Some of the enemy were killed, and eight villages burned. The country was laid waste, with the fields that the enemy had there; and thus were they punished for the insolent acts that they had committed. Consequently, these islands have four wars on the tapis at present: in the island of Hermosa, with the natives and the Dutch; in Terrenate and the Malucas Islands, with the Dutch also; in Jolo and other near-by islands whose inhabitants infest our seas; and in Cagayan with the insurgents. For so much war we must have greater aid from España and Nueva España, so that the condition of these islands may not fall lower.

I will conclude this relation with the fires that we have experienced this year, which have been many and important.

The convent of St. Francis, the hospital, and other houses were burned in Maluco. The convent of St. Nicolas (which belongs to the Recollects) in Cebu was burned March 29; and that of St. Augustine and a great portion of the city on April 8. It was a miracle that our residence escaped, for the fire was near it.

Fire caught, at one o’clock at night on March 13, in the Parián or alcaiceria of the Chinese, where more than twelve thousand Chinese live, outside the walls of this city of Manila. Inside of five hours it was all leveled. It naturally seems impossible that so large a settlement, with wooden pillars which two men could not encircle, could have burned in so short a time. But that must have been the fire and punishment of heaven for the so horrible sins by which those heathen Chinese have provoked the wrath of God. The church and convent of St. Dominic, which is one of the most splendid wooden buildings that there can be, escaped from the midst of this fire of Sodom. A house owned there by the Society, which was even yet unfinished, was also unburnt. All the rest was burned to the very foundations. The inhabitants of Manila, who owned many of the houses, lost considerable in that fire. But in the space of four months, most of that alcaicería has been rebuilt in squares and straight streets and uniform houses. It presents a very beautiful appearance, and is as large as the city of Manila itself. It is no wonder that a city should be built entire in so short a time, when more than three thousand men have worked on it. I do not know whether there can be any other part of the world than Manila where there are so many workmen and so abundant materials.

[Volume i of the Ventura del Arco MSS. (Ayer library) contains the following synopsis of another relation for the years 1627–1628.]

Events in the Filipinas Islands from August, 1627, until June, 1628.

In August, 1627, Governor Don Juan Niño de Tabora left the bay of Manila with the fleet, going toward the island of Hermosa in order to drive away the Dutch who had established themselves there two years before the Spaniards.

The fleet sailed out of season, for the relief ships from Nueva España arrived a month later than they ought. Accordingly, the fleet encountered northerly winds when they reached Cape Bojeador. They remained there for some days, beating to windward, until after several storms they had to put back to Manila.

The galleys joined the fleet at Bangui, which is located at the same cape. The smaller vessels, not being able to withstand the weather, became separated from the fleet; and one of them, with the heavy storm that overtook them, ended its voyage at a port of China, in the province of Fo-chiu, and another at the island of Hermosa. The galleys lost their moorings at Bangui, where the earth and even the sea trembled fourteen times in one day. Hills were toppled over; and one called Los Caraballos, which was on the road to Nueva Segovia, and was inaccessible, sank and became very level. Some of the convents of the Dominican religious (who instruct that province) fell. The hurricane wrecked immense numbers of trees, which covered the beaches of the sea. By the middle of September the weather moderated. The commander of the galleys, not knowing that the galleons had put back, continued his voyage, and reached the point on the island of Hermosa, and entered the Dutch port without knowing it. He went within cannon-shot, reconnoitered the port, and sounded the coast. He observed the fort, and the preparations made by the Dutch, who were fearful of some attack. Then he went to a small island inhabited by Chinese fishermen, who received him cordially; they expressed hatred for the Dutch, and their desire to aid the Spaniards to drive them from the island of Hermosa. They had some Dutch prisoners, who had been shipwrecked from a galleon that had been lost on their coasts, or on the reefs of the said island. The galleys sailed thence toward our port in the island of Hermosa, but so furious a north wind caught them, when near it, that they were carried to Cape Bojeador in five days; and they were able to make the port called Japones. There another storm struck them on the first of October, and the two galleys were smashed to pieces, although the artillery and men were saved.

The ship that put in at Fo-chiu returned to the port of the island of Hermosa with whose infantry and that of another small patache, which had arrived before, and with some silver and clothing which it carried, the fort was relieved; and its garrison were able to punish, as they did, the Chinese who had killed two captains, with twenty-five or thirty Spaniards.

The governor, having returned to the bay of Manila with his galleons, was notified from Macao, before he had disembarked, that four Dutch vessels had been sighted, whose intention was to make prizes and prevent the commerce. He sent two galleons as a convoy for the Portuguese galleys of that port; but when they reached Macao the Dutch vessels were no longer there, the battle having already occurred which was referred to in the preceding document.

The two galleons having been freed [from the convoy] went—after suffering a severe storm in which they were nearly wrecked, from the effects of which they had to be repaired—in accordance with the orders of the governor, to scour all the coast as far as Malaca in pursuit of the Dutch. For that purpose they equipped a patache before leaving Macao, while another patache was despatched from Manila to join them. During the eight months while the voyage lasted, those four boats scoured all the places where the Dutch are accustomed to go, without omitting any save to enter Jacatra[10] itself. They went first to the island of Aynao [i.e., Hainan], which has four cities, and is the pearl fishery of Great China. Then they skirted the coast of Cochinchina, where the king sent to request them, through a Spaniard who was there and the superior of the mission which the fathers of the Society have there, not to attack them, since he was our friend. They did not meddle with his possessions, but, before leaving the coast, captured a junk belonging to the king of Siam, which was coming from Canton laden with silks, earthenware, and tobacco, which was valued at more than fifty thousand ducados.

Between the islands of Pulo Condor and Puluibi, which are opposite the kingdom of Camboja, one of the two pataches met a very large Dutch ship, which it was thought was going to Siam, where the galleons were awaiting it. But it was not so, and it was believed to have gone to Japon.

The raid of the fleet, and especially of those galleons, was feared by all the kings of the coast and by those of Java and Borneo, and they desired peace with the Spaniards. Even the mandarin of Fo-chiu thought that the fleet was going to attack China, and ordered an agent to go to the island of Hermosa to find out about it.

The relief expedition sent to Maluco had the outcome mentioned in the preceding document.

During that year, the old king of Ternate died at Manila. He had been captured at the recovery of the Malucas. He was a Moro, of royal appearance and speech; and died in the Moro belief, of which he had always been most observant. He thoroughly understood the teachings of our holy faith, and said that the only reason that he did not embrace it was because it was not fitting for a king to change his religion because he had been captured.

This document refers to the invasion of the islands by the king of Jolo, in the same manner as the preceding document; and concludes by saying that after he had been punished, the Spaniards began to build three galleys, four brigantines, and forty large caracoas at the order of the governor; and that they must be preparing themselves to take vengeance on the Moros of Borneo, and the Camucones and Joloans, for the damages sustained from them during the preceding years.

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[1] La Concepción states (Hist. de Philipinas, v, p. 131) that Tavora desired, through martial ardor, to undertake some important expedition (for which he had made all possible preparations during the winter and spring); and that in a council of war three such were proposed—“to dislodge the Dutch from the port of Taiban [i.e., Taiwan, in Formosa]; to Maluco, from [the fort of] Malayo, to punish their insolent acts; or to obtain satisfaction from Siam for the death of Don Fernando de Silva”—of which the first was chosen. But, through various delays, Tavora’s voyage was begun too late, and defeated by the stormy weather that ensued.

[2] The following note is a part of the original document:

”Note. While writing this relation, these forty Spaniards arrived in a ship, less four sailors who wished to remain in the kingdom of Camboja, whither went all those who remained in the lanchas after the galleons left them. That king of Camboja protected them; and, although he suspected that they were spies, they were welcomed cordially and sent to Manila, where they arrived July first.”

[3] This cruise by the Spanish galleons is of much the same piratical character which the Spaniards themselves ascribed to the Dutch and English adventurers of that time; nor did they hesitate to attack peaceful trading ships, even those of nations against whom they had no grievance.

[4] In 1627 the emperor Tienki (a grandson of Wanleh) died, and was succeeded by his younger brother, Tsongching, who was the last of the actual Ming rulers. In the latter part of his reign he was almost constantly at war with the Manchus, who were ruled by Taitsong, fourth son of Noorhachu. In 1640 a revolt occurred in China, headed by Li Tseching, who four years later captured Peking. Tsongching, seeing that his cause was lost, committed suicide. Taitsong, who had died in 1643, was succeeded by his son Chuntche; the latter, after the fall of the rebel Li Tseching, became the first emperor of the Manchu dynasty in China, and established his capital in Peking.

[5] This noted relic was dug up in the Chinese city of Singanfu, in 1625. It is a stone slab, containing various inscriptions in Chinese and Syriac; it was erected in the year 781, and is a monument of the early existence of the Nestorian church in China. See Yule’s account of it in his Cathay, i, pp. xci–xcvi, clxxxi–clxxxiii.

[6] Evidently referring to the Manchu chief Noorhachu, who from 1591 had harassed the northern frontiers of China; he died at Mukden in September, 1626.

[7] Nicholas Longobardi was born in 1566 at Caltagarone, Sicily, and admitted into the Society in 1580 (Sotwell says that he entered his novitiate in 1582, at the age of seventeen). He became a teacher in humanities and rhetoric. In 1596 he went to China, and settled in the province of Kiang-si, where he was appointed general superior of the mission from 1610 to 1622. He died at Peking, December 11, 1655, according to Sotwell. Father de Machault says that he died September 1, 1654, according to a letter written May 7, 1655, by Father Francois Clement; but the inscription on his tomb gives the first date. He had written a number of treatises, some of them apparently in the Chinese language. See Sommervogel’s Bibliothèque.

[8] The Dominican provincial at this time was Bartolomé Martinez, who made his profession in 1602, and arrived in the Philippines in 1611. In the following year he made an unsuccessful attempt to found a mission at Macao; but on his return to Manila was assigned to the Chinese village of Binondo, where he became proficient in their language, and afterward was vicar of the Parián at Manila. In 1618 he was shipwrecked on the coast of Formosa, which he considered to be a gateway to the Chinese empire. In 1626 he founded a mission there, and when his provincialate was ended he returned to Formosa, where he died by accidental drowning, August 1, 1629. See sketch of his life in Reseña biog. Sant. Rosario, i, pp. 335–337.

[9] Cf. the account by Paul Clain (Manila, June 10, 1697) of a similar occurrence, natives of the Caroline Islands being blown by storms to the coast of Samar. See Lettres édifiantes, i (Paris, 1717), pp. 112–136.

[10] “In 1610, the Dutch had built [in Java] a fort, which they named Batavia. This was besieged by the Sunda princes of Bantam and Jacatra in 1619, and it was on their defeat in that year that it was resolved to build a town on the ruins of the native one of Jacatra, and this took the name of the fort. Batavia has been the capital of all the Dutch possessions in India since its foundation in 1619.” (Crawfurd’s Dict. Indian Islands, p. 44.)