Character of Gomez Perez. Such was the End of that Gentleman, whose Actions were valuable in themselves, and the more for the Zeal he did them with. He wanted not for political and martial Virtues, nor for Prudence in both Sorts; but he would not regard Examples; and contrary to what those taught him, durst promise himself to succeed, so that he became confident, if not rash. But his Christian Piety makes Amends for all.
Don Lewis, his Kindred and Friends, would fain have prosecuted the Expedition The Fleet dismiss’d. to the Moluccos, and to this End F. Antony Fernandez came from Tydore; but he succeeded not. The Fleet was dismiss’d, and it was a singular Providence for the Security of the Philippine Islands; for presently after, at the Beginning of the Year 1594, there came thither a great Number of Ships from China, loaded only with Men and Arms, and bringing no Merchandize, as they are wont to do. Those Ships brought seven Mandarines, being some of the chief Viceroys and Governours of the Provinces. It was believ’d, and Arm’d Chineses in the Philippines. prov’d certainly true, that they knowing Gomez Perez went upon that Expedition, to which he took with him all the Spaniards, concluded the Country was left defenceless, and therefore came with a Design to Conquer, or plunder it, which would have been very easy, had they found it as they expected. They went out of their Ships but twice to visit Don Lewis, with great State, and much Attendance. He receiv’d them affectionately, and presented every Mandarine with a gold Chain. They told him, they came by their King’s Order, to pick up the Chineses, who wander’d about those Islands without his Leave; but this was look’d upon as a meer Pretence; because there was no Need, for that Effect, of so many Mandarines, nor such a Number Mandarines visit Don Lewis. of Vessels arm’d and furnish’d for War. The Chineses who murder’d Gomez Perez, were of Chincheo, and therefore Don Lewis, as knowing the certain Criminals, sent his Kinsman Don Ferdinand de Castro, in a Ship, to give the King of China an Account of that Treachery; but his Voyage miscarry’d, and all was left in Suspence.
King of Camboxa demands the promis’d Succour. At this Time Langara, King of Camboxa made Instance for the Succours, and requir’d Don Lewis to perform his Fathers Promise made to him not long before. He therefore, in Pursuance to it, and to the End that those Forces, or some Part of them, might continue in the Church’s Service, since they were provided for that End, in the Design of Ternate, resolv’d to support that King with them.
Camboxa is one of the most fertile of the Indian Regions. It sends Camboxa described. Abundance of Provisions to other Parts, for which Reason it is frequented by Spaniards, Persians, Arabs, and Armenians. The King is a Mahometan; but his Subjects the Gusarats and Banians, follow the Precepts of Pythagoras, perhaps without any Knowledge of him. They are all sharp witted, Opinions of the Natives. and reputed the cunningest Merchants in India. However they are of Opinion, that after Death, Men, Brute Beasts, and all Creatures, receive either Punishment, or Reward; so confus’d a Notion have they of Immortality. The City Camboxa, which gives its Name to all the Country, is also call’d Champa, abounding in the Odoriferous Calambuco Wood, whose Tree call’d Calamba, grows in unknown Regions, and therefore has not been seen standing. The Floods upon those great Rivers bring down Trunks of it, and Lignum Aloes. this is the precious Lignum Aloes. Camboxa produces Corn, Rice, Pease, Butter, and Oyl. There are made in it various Sorts of Cotton Webs, Muslins, Buckrams, Calicoes, white and painted, Dimities, and other curious Manufactures. Pieces exceeding the finest in Holland. They also adorn their Rooms with Carpets; tho’ they are not like those brought out of Persia to Ormuz. They weave others for the common Sort, which they call Bancales, not unlike the Scotch Plads. Nor do they want the Art of Silk-Weaving, for they both weave, and work with the Needle, rich Hangings, Coverings for the low Chairs us’d by the Women of Quality, and for the Indian Litters, or Palanquines, which are made of Ivory, and Tortoise-Shell, and of the same they make Chess-Boards, and Tables to Play, Seal-Rings, and other portable Things. In the Mountains there is found a sort of Christal, extraordinary Product. transparent, whereof they make Beads, little Idols, Bracelets, Necklaces, and other Toys. It abounds in Amethists, Garnets, the Sort of Saphirs call’d Hyacinths, Spinets, Cornelians, Chrysolites, Cats Eyes, properly call’d Acates, all of them precious Stones; There are also those they call Milk, and Blood Stones, pleasant, and medicinal Fruits, Opium, Bangue, Sanders, Alom and Sugar. Indigo is incomparably prepar’d in Camboxa, and thence sent to several Provinces. The living Creatures are the same Asia affords in those Parts, Elephants, Lions, Horses, wild Boars, Beasts. and other fierce Beasts. It is in Ten Degrees of North Latitude. The River Mecon waters all the Kingdom, and in it falls into the Sea; being look’d upon as the greatest in India, carrying so much water in Summer, that it Mecon River. floods, and covers the Fields, like the Nile in Egypt. It joyns another of less Stock, at the Place call’d Chordemuco. This River, for six Months runs backward. The Reason of it is the Extent and Plainness of the Country it runs along. The Southern Breezes choak up the Bar with Sand. The Currents thus damm’d up, swell and rise together, after much Struggling one against the other. The Bar looks to the South-ward, both Waters at first Form a deep Bay, and finding no free Passage out, but being drove by the mighty Violence of the Winds, are forc’d to submit and bend their Course the wrong Way, till a more favourable Season restores them to their natural Course. We see some such like Effects in Spain, where the Tagus falls into the Sea of Portugal, and the Guadalquivir into that of Andaluzia, oppos’d by the superior Force of the Sea Waves, and of the Winds.
About this Time, in the remotest Part of this Country, beyond impenetrable Angon City Discover’d. Woods, not far from the Kingdom of the Laos, was discover’d a City, of above six thousand Houses, now call’d Angon. The Structures, and Streets, all of massy Marble Stones, artificially wrought, and as entire, as if they had been modern Works. The Wall strong, with a Scarp, or Slope within, in such Manner, that they can go up to the Battlements Its Magnificence. every where. Those Battlements all differ one from another, representing sundry Creatures, one represents the Head of an Elephant, another of a Lion, a third of a Tiger, and so proceed in continual Variety. The Ditch, which is also of hew’d Stones, is capable of receiving Ships. Over it is a magnificent Bridge, the Arches of it being supported by stone Giants of a prodigious Height. The Aqueducts, tho’ dry, show no less Grandeur. There are Remains of Gardens, and delightful Places, where the Aqueducts terminate. On one Side of the Town is a Lake above thirty Leagues in Compass. There are Epitaphs, Inscriptions, and Characters not understood. Many Buildings are more sumptuous than the rest, most of them of Alabaster, and Jasper Stone. In all this City, when first discoverred by the Natives, they found no People, nor Beasts, nor any living Creatures, except such as Nature produces out of the Breaches of Ruins. I own I was unwilling to write this, and that I have look’d upon it as an imaginary City of Plato’s Atlantis, and of that his Common-Wealth; but there is no wonderful Thing, or Accident, that is not subject to much Doubt. It is now Inhabited, and our Religious Men, of the Order of St. Augustin and St. Dominick, who have Preach’d in those Parts, do testify the Truth of it. A Person of Reputation for his Learning, conjectures it was the Work of the Emperor Traian; but tho’ he extended the Empire more than his Predecessors, I have not ever Read that he reach’d as far as Camboxa. Were the Histories of the Chineses as well known as ours, they would inform us, why they abandon’d so great a Part of the World; they would explain the Inscriptions on the Buildings, and all the rest that is unknown to the Natives themselves. I know not what to say of so Beautiful a City’s being buried in Oblivion, or not known. It is rather a Subject of Admiration than Reflection.
Three Spanish Ships sent to the Relief of Camboxa. Don Lewis being zealous to bring those Nations into the Bosom of the Church, and their Wealth, and Kings under the Subjection of the Crown of Spain, fitted out three Ships, under the Command of John Xuarez Gallinato, born at Tenerife, one of the Canary Islands, with 120 Spaniards, and some Philippines. They Sail’d from Cebu, but there rose a Storm immediately, which dispers’d the Ships. Gallinato drove on by the Fury of the Winds, arriv’d at Malaca, and the other two at Camboxa. Going up the River, King of Camboxa routed by him of Siam. they were Inform’d, That the King of Sian had defeated him of Camboxa, his Neighbour; who, with the wretched Remains of his Army, fled into the Kingdom of the Laos, a Neighbouring but Inhumane Nation; and that, whilst he was begging Compassion among those obdurate Hearts, the King of Sian had set up Prauncar, Nick-nam’d, Wry Mouth the Traytor, Brother to the vanqush’d Monarch, for King of Camboxa. This Accident did not obstruct the Succours which the Spaniards carry’d under Colour of an Embassy. They came to the City Chordumulo, 80 Leagues distant from the Bar, and leaving 40 Spaniards in the Ships, 40 others went to the Country where the new King was. They made Application to visit him presently, but he would not be seen that Day, tho’ he order’d they should have good Quarters, and be told, he would give them Audience three Days after. But James Veloso and Blase Ruyz, either that they were formerly acquainted Design to murder the Spaniards. with the Country, or some new Subtilty occurring, looking on that delay as suspicious, visiting a beautiful Indian Woman, of the King’s Family, she told them in private, That being admitted into that Tyrants Secrets, he being fond of her, she knew he intended to Murder them all; and that during those three Days he had assign’d them, as it were to Rest, after their Journey, the Men and Means for Executing that Design were to be provided. The Spaniards return’d Thanks for the Intelligence, not without promise of Reward.
Desperat Bravery of the Spaniards. They were not dismay’d at the Danger; but repeating their Thanks to the Indian Woman, for her Intelligence, came to this magnanimous, if it may not be term’d a rash Resolution. They agreed to attack the King’s Palace that same Night, and to withstand the whole Army, if Need were. They prepar’d themselves for that Enterprize, which was above human Strength, set fire to the House where the Powder lay, and the People running to help, or to see the Mischief, the Spaniards, during the Confusion, enter’d the Palace, and being acquainted with the royal Apartments, made through them, till they came to the King’s Person, whom they run thro’, and kill’d They kill the King of Camboxa. after cutting his Guards in Pieces. He defended himself, calling out for Help, but those who came to his Assistance found him bloodless. The Report of this Action alarm’d the other Guards, and then all the City, which contains above thirty thousand Inhabitants, who where all running to Arms; above 14000 Men took up such as Occasion offer’d, and came upon the Spaniards with many war-like Elephants. Our two Commanders drew up Retire before 14000 Indians. their little Body, and retir’d in great Order, always fighting and killing great numbers of their Enemies. The Fight lasted all the Night, with wonderful Bravery, the next Day they got to their Ships, and imbark’d, leaving that Kingdom full of new Divisions.
The second Day after, Gallinato came in, with his Ship. He landed, having Gallinato at Camboxa.been before inform’d of what had happen’d, and thinking he did not perform his Duty, unless he succour’d the Spaniards, when he heard the Drums and Bells, and saw the Streets and Port full of trading People, now in Arms. He gave strict Orders to those that attended him, to behave themselves very modestly, so as to conceal their own Concern, and deceive the People of Camboxa, both by their Looks, and the Sedateness of their Words. The principal Men of Camboxa visited him, in peaceable Manner; whom he treated very courteously. He might have perform’d some great Exploit, but finding his Strength too small for such an Enterprize, and that now Affairs had taken another Turn, and were in a different Posture, he thought fit to be gone. Most of those great Men oppos’d it, promising him the Crown, as being well affected to the Spaniards, and a foreign Government. The great Men offer him the Crown. Hence came the idle Report, that Gallinato was King of Camboxa, which was believ’d by many in Spain, and acted on the Stage with Applause, and good Liking. And it was the Opinion of Persons well acquainted with those Countries, that had Gallinato laid hold of the Opportunity offer’d him, he might then have possess’d himself of Camboxa, and united it to the Crown of Castile.
I have seen Letters of Velloso, and Blase Ruiz, to the Council at Manila, after this Action, wherein they speak to this Effect, and complain that Gallinato should blame what they did. But Gallinato, whose Judgment, and Valour, had been try’d in the greatest Dangers of those Eastern Parts, and many Years before in Flanders, would not suffer himself to be easily The depos’d King’s Son restor’d. led away by popular Affection, and honourably rejecting that Opportunity, sail’d towards Manila. He took in some Refreshment in Cochinchina. Blase Ruiz and James Velloso had landed there before, and went alone by Land to the Kingdom of the Laos, which lies West of Cochinchina, to seek out the depos’d King Langara, and restore him to his Throne. They found he was dead, but had a Son living, who being told how they had kill’d the Usurper, his Uncle and Enemy; he set forward immediately for his Kingdom with Velloso and Ruiz, and 10000 Men, the King of the Laos, contrary to all Expectation furnish’d him. He attack’d Camboxa, where Ruiz and Velloso faithfully stuck to him during the War, and afterwards in his Government. Then he sent another Embassy to the Philippine Island, asking Supplies of Men to quell the Troubles in his Country, and that he and his Subjects might receive the Faith of JESUS CHRIST; promising a considerable Part of his Dominions to the Spaniards, to subsist them. This Embassy came to Manila, when Don Lewis had quitted the Government, and resign’d it up to Don Francis Tello, which gave Occasion to Ternate to grow more settled in its Tyranny.
D. Pedro de Acunna fortifies Carthagena. Don Pedro de Acunna, who govern’d Carthagena in the West-Indies, in this Year 1595, either because it was his natural Inclination, or the Necessity of the Times requiring it, fortify’d the Place with Fascines, Planks, Piles, and Ditches, working at it himself in Person. Thus he oblig’d the Bishop, Clergy and Religious Men, to put their Hands to the Work; the very Ladies of Quality, their Daughters and Maids, did not refuse to follow such an Example. It was wonderful to see with what Expedition and Zeal the Work was brought to Perfection, of such Force is a good Example. Soon after came to Puerto Rico, the Ship call’d Pandorga, or Borgonna, that was Admiral of Tierra Firme, and New Spain, with three Millions in her. The whole under the Care of the General Sancho Pardo.