For the Compiling of this Work the Author, being Employ’d by the Authority abovemention’d, had the Command of all Authentick Manuscript Relations, which were either in the Kings Custody, or in Private Hands; besides the Testimony of such Persons then Living, as had been Eye-Witnesses to any part of what he delivers. His Design was only to Write the Conquest of those Islands, by King Philip the Third of Spain; but considering how few were acquainted with them, and that of Consequence most Readers would be at a loss to know where, or what these Moluccos were, he Judiciously Resolv’d to bring down his History from its proper Source. To this End he begins with the Antient, and Fabulous Original of their Kings; then comes to the Discovery of them by Europeans, and proceeds to the Wars between them, and with the Natives, for the Possession of those so much coveted Dominions.
His Description of them is very Exact; That of the Cloves, their principal Commodity, no less Curious; and that of the other Product and Animals, Inferior to neither. The Wars carrying him over from one Place to another; he gives a short Account of the Islands Papûas, and that of Celebes. The Spaniards, to avoid passing through the Portuguese Sea, attempted to settle Trade at the Moluccos, by the way of the Streights of Magellan, which gives occasion to Argensola to entertain us with a particular Account of the Spanish Fleet sent into the said Streight, under the Admiral Sarmiento, which has been hitherto very Imperfectly Deliver’d in English, tho’ very Remarkable, and full of Surprizing Accidents. In short, not to stretch out this Preface, with the Subject of the Work, we shall find in it a brief Description of the Island Sumatra; of the vast Empire of China; of all the Philippine Islands, and those of Ceylon, Banda, Java, and many others of less Note. Nor does he omit to speak of the Dutch Voyages; and Undertakings of Sir Francis Drake, and other English Adventurers; and Embelishes the whole with such variety of pleasing Incidents, that few Books of Travels afford so much Profitable Entertainment, with such good Authority.
No Author ever had a better Reputation, among all that Understand, and have had the good Fortune to Meet with him; for being so Valuable, he is extraordinary Scarce, rare to be met with in Spain, and consequently much more in England. This may perhaps be the main Reason why he has not yet been Translated, and being so Valuable, he cannot miss of that Reception which he has found in the Original. But it is not intended to prepossess the Reader, who is left to make his own Judgment, and therefore a long Preface is designedly avoided, that he may the sooner enter upon so Useful and Diverting a Work. It is not improper, nevertheless, to Advise the Reader not to take notice of some Reflections in Point of Religion, and in other Cases, considering the Book was Writ by a Spaniard, and that it was not proper to Omit, or Alter any thing, where a Fair, and Entire Translation is promised. Besides, That these are very few, and inconsiderable, and consequently not worth observing, as indeed the generality of Judicious Readers will be suffciently satisfy’d, and this Caution is given for their Sake, whom perhaps Passion, or overmuch Zeal may move to condem a Work on such an Occasion, when they can find no other matter to Carp at.
A Draught of the Moluca Isles
THE
HISTORY
OF THE
Discovery and Conquest
OF THE
Molucco and Philippine Islands, &c.
BOOK I.
Author’s Introduction. I write the Conquest of the Molucco Islands by King Philip the III. of Spain, and the reducing of their Kings to their former Subjection, to his Predecessors, by Don Pedro de Acunha, Governour of the Philippine Islands, and Admiral of the Spanish Fleet; a Victory worthy the Foresight of such a Godly Monarch, the Application of those worthy Statesmen that compose his supreme Council, and the Valour of our Nation; not so much on account of the Wealth, and Fertility of those Countries, as for that it took from the Northern Nations all occasion of Sailing in our Seas, and Debauching the new Converted Asiaticks, and the Inhabitants of our Colonies Trading among them. The Celerity with which the Expedition was concluded, does not in the least diminish the Glory of the Event; which, for that very Reason, might rather deserve a place in a more ample Relation. I am sensible of the Dangers I expose my self to; but am no less satisfy’d, that I shall find some to stand by me. The most famous Painters, and Carvers, have generally a great value for Heads, Arms, and other Limbs, which have been drawn to perfection from the Life, by which they compose all the Parts, when they design some excellent Piece. The ignorant in those Arts have no Esteem for such Fragments, being only taken with the entire Statue, or Picture, consisting of all its Limbs, without examining the Defects there may be in each of them. The Relation I undertake to write of these Islands will find the same Esteem, and be expos’d to no less Contempt; for the Judicious, who understand how History is Compil’d, will value this part drawn to the Life; whereas those, who, as they say themselves, Read only to divert the Time, will make little account of it, as being more fond of some Romance, full of Monsterous Events; or of some bulkey Work, bearing the Title of a History, treating of numerous Armies, and mighty Slaughters, and bestowing the Success, not where Providence gave, but where they would have it. This is the Reason why many Things, worthy to be known and preserv’d, remain bury’d in Oblivion; because being left for General Histories, there are only slight Sketches of them Drawn at the Time when they hapned, by those who had a share in them, so that when these Manuscripts are to be made use of, either they are not to be found, or else they reduce the Writer to a necessity of subscribing to whatsoever either Self-Love, or any other Passion dictated to the Authors of such Memoirs, without any possibility of examining into the Truth. To obviate this Inconveniency, in a matter of such moment as that of Ternate, the Capital of the Molucco Islands, I was Commanded to write an Account of it, at a time when they were still living who acted in and directed it: And I have such full Information of all that is requisite for this purpose, that I hope Truth will make amends for my want of Ability. This is as much as I have thought fit to Advertise the Reader, without entering upon the Advantage he will reap by perusing this Relation; because, if he is well affected, all I can say for it will be superfluous; and if otherwise inclin’d, tho’ I endeavour to set him right, he will never conceive it.
Kings of the Moluccos. Among the fourteen most potent Princes, who Lord it over the Archipelago of the Molucco Islands, under the Title of Kings, those of Ternate and Tydore boast of a Divine Original; such Liberty to be vain do Men take upon them, or so much do they ascribe to obscure Antiquity. A Fable of their Original. There is an ancient Tradition among those People, look’d upon as Sacred, That they were once Govern’d by a most Ancient Prince, called Bicocigara, who sailing along the Coast of Rachian, perceiv’d that among some craggy Rocks there were grown up abundance of Rotas, so they call a sort of solid Canes, which, when small, they make use of instead of Ropes. He lik’d them, and order’d they should be cut down, and brought into his Vessel. His Subjects going to fulfil his Orders, and having search’d all the place, return’d to their Master, desiring he would look again, least his Eyes deceiv’d him, for they could meet with no such Canes. Bicocigara, who saw them distinctly from his Boat, was positive with his incredulous People, and order’d them again to be brought; but to decide the matter, went himself Ashore, where immediatly they appeared to them all. He commanded them to be cut down, and as they went about it, Blood ran from the Canes that were cut. Being astonish’d at that Prodigy, he discover’d close to the Roots of them four Eggs, which look’d like a Snakes Eggs, and at the same time heard a Voice, proceeding from the hollow of the Canes cut down, which said, Keep those Eggs; for from them shall come four excellent Governours. He took up those fatal Eggs, with Religious Respect, and carry’d them home, where they were kept in the best place of his House. In a short time, from the four Yolks proceeded four Rational Chickens, being three Men, and one Woman, who afterwards Reign’d, the first of them Bachian, the second in Butan, and the third over the Islands call’d Papuas, lying East from the Moluccos. The Woman was Marry’d to Prince Loloda, who gave Name to the Country of Batochina, not far from the great Boconora. This Fable has gain’d such Reputation, that they honour Bicocigara as a Hero, worship the Rocks, and adore the Eggs. The truth of it is, that the cunning Man, by this prodigious Superstition, Sanctify’d his own Race, and gain’d Kingdoms, and Respect for his four Children. So Greece feign’d, or beleiv’d, that Leda Conceiving of the Adulterous Swan brought forth the Eggs, from which came Castor, Pollux, and Helena. Fortune, when she raises Men to a high pitch, perswades those she designs to Crown, to lay the Foundation of their Majesty on Fables, resembling true Misteries, so to perswade the Multitude that they are somewhat Divine, and to distinguish the Royal Race by a peculiarity even in the Universal Law of being Born into the World. Of this Race thirteen Idolatrous Kings succeeded one another in Tydore, down to Sultan Tydore Bongue, the first that receiv’d the Mahometan Alcoran, tho’ intermix’d with Idolatry, which lasted above Eighty Years, and being confounded among the Precepts of that abominable Sect, bred Divisions, and Distractions among the People. Afterwards, when the Commander Brito arriv’d in that Island, as we shall soon see, he found a Caciz, or Priest, taught them the new Superstition, and that many oppos’d him, on account of the old Fable of the Eggs, which the Persian Morabout could never Decry; so great is the power of Error transmitted from our Fore-Fathers.