At this Time King James of England, writ to Sultan Zayde, of Ternate, desiring him to continue his former Friendship, and that the English might build Colonies and Factories in the Molucco Islands. The Sultan would not grant it, and complain’d in harsh Terms, that England had never assisted him against Portugal; and that so little Account should be there made of the first Alliance concluded by Means of Sir Francis Drake, when King Babu sent the Queen of England a Ring in Token of Confederacy, His Answer. by the said Drake. He said, he could not admit the English, contrary to the solemn Engagement he had made to Prince Maurice and the Dutch Nation, to whom he had made a Promise, that none but they should buy up and lade the Product of his Country. All this appears by the Copy of a Letter in the Portuguese Tongue, found among the King of Ternate’s Papers, when our Men possess’d themselves of his Palace. Where we may observe the perfect Hatred he shows for the Portuguese Government, since he never Names those People without adding the Epithet of Mortal Enemies; and in speaking of the Dutch, My Friends and Deliverers; adding, That he expects their Fleets with great Satisfaction. This Answer he sent King James by Henry Middleton, then Admiral of the English Fleet, on the eighteenth of July, 1605. The Truth of the Fact is, that this King admitted, and invited to his Dominions, and the Product of them, all other Nations, to arm against the Spaniards, and oppose Christianity; and tho’ he then boasted of the Succours he receiv’d, and expected from the Dutch, had he seen the Power of their Fleets and Arms decline, he would have excluded them the Trade. All his Religion and Hopes were subservient to the present Circumstances of Times, and his Faith depended on the Advantages he could make.
The End of the Seventh Book.
THE
HISTORY
OF THE
Discovery and Conquest
OF THE
Molucco and Philippine Islands, &c.
BOOK VIII.
All the Contents of the Letters, and other Papers, that came from the Molucco Islands to India and the Philippines, for the following Years, amount to nothing but Complaints, asking Relief, and giving Intelligence, not altogether below the Dignity of History, were we not come so near the last Period of it. Particularly there are Letters of the Commander of Tydore, Ruy Gonzalez de Sequeyra, to the Governor of the Philippine Islands, wherein he complains, Complaints from Tydore, and other Advice. That whereas he had sent 400 Men, Ships, and Warlike Stores to Camboxa, where his Majesty had nothing to Recover, he had furnish’d him with only twenty Soldiers. He represents to him many pressing Wants, without any Hopes of Relief from the Viceroy, by the way of Malaca; urging the scarcity of Provisions, Arms, and all other Necessaries. He informs him, That through his Means Cachil Mole had been sworn King of Tydore; and how faithful a Friend he approves himself to the Crown of Sian, and an Enemy to the Ternates, and that he is always sollicitous for recovering of that Fort. He desires him to send the King a Present of great Guns, and other Gifts, and to do the same by the King of Sian, who is a Christian, and our Friend. He acquaints him how frequently the English and Dutch Ships resort to those Seas, and that he had taken some of them.
The Success of a very great and rich Ship of Zealand, is most particularly Remarkable: This Vessel putting into Ternate, and Trading with that Wicked Faithless King, he consented that Ruy Gonzalez should contrive Villany of the King of Ternate. to cut her Cables, provided the Booty might be his: He agreed to it, exacting an Exorbitant price for the Villany. The Bargain made, and the Bribe receiv’d, they who had cut the Cables leap’d over-board, and immediately the King’s Officers appear’d, who seiz’d all the Loading, the Ship being beaten to pieces, to no purpose. He assures him, That the Enterprize on Ternate might be effected with 400 Spaniards; and promises to send him a great piece of Amber, as an extraordinary Rarity, from the Isles of Mava, which are 60 Leagues from the Moluccos. He again gives Advice of Northern Galeons, and that one of them, in four Hours, had batter’d that Fort, shot into it 261 Bullets; one of which he sent him; and that they had beaten down a large Curtin of the Wall, which was then Repairing.
English Infest the West-Indies. In the mean while England infested the West-Indies; where the Towns and Ships suffer’d by their Invasions, Robberies, and Burnings. Only that Part, which was the District belonging to Don Pedro de Acunna, defended it self, through the Bravery of its Governor, and for the same Reason the Enemy had Regard to it. William Park, the English Admiral, appear’d upon the strong and garrison’d Coasts of America, in the Year 1601. They defended themselves well, yet he prevail’d in some Places. On the Coast of Cartagena he took one Julio, a Fisherman, whom he afterwards set at Liberty, that he might carry the following Letter, writ in broken Spanish to Don Pedro.
A’miral Parke’s Letter to Don Pedro. Being inform’d by Fame, with how much Generosity and Kindness your Lordship entertains Strangers, especially those of my Nation, I would not forbear expressing the Gratitude due to your Lordship for that Magnificence, on my own Part, and returning Thanks, wishing you as long a Life, and as much Health, as to my self. I would not omit writing these few Lines to your Lordship, not only on the aforesaid Account, but to acquaint you with what has happen’d to me during this Expedition. It pleas’d God to make me Master of one of the Kings Ports, call’d Porto Belo, which I was possess’d of a whole Day and Part of the Night, where I found some Gentlemen, particularly Captain Melendez, and some other Soldiers of the Garrison; and plundering the Place had very little Booty. The said Captain Melendez, fought like a resolute Soldier, and faithful Servant of his King, and therefore I order’d him to be dress’d by my Surgeon, and to be carry’d out of the House where he was wounded, having laid Wood in all the Houses to fire them, and consume the Town. I do assure your Lordship, and declare on the Word of a Soldier, that being inform’d of your Valour and Renown, by certain Prisoners I took, as Captain Rolon, and several others, and at Porto Belo by the King’s Factor, Funes, and other Soldiers, that were my Prisoners, and aboard my Ship, I gave them all their Liberty, and forebore firing the City, only on Account of your Reputation, and the Fame of your good Usage to such Prisoners as fall into your Hands. So that those I set at Liberty, as also the Town, may be thankful to your Lordship for so great an Obligation, as is the Value of the said Town, and their Lives. The Castle, and the Fort at the Mouth of the Harbour, and the Port it self, so well fortify’d and furnish’d with Artillery, and all other Necessaries, did not deter, fright, or daunt me, for I went out with six Ships, and the Castles did me no Harm. Really the Commanders and Guners were very honest Men. I give your Lordship Notice of two English Men, who landed at Santa Marta, near ten Months since, their Names are Abraham Collins, and Thomas Hall. These are both Spies upon Cartagena. I like the Treason, but drown the Traitor; I send you some poor Men ashore, whom I took upon this Coast, your Lordship will favour them as is due, and according to your Custom. And having Nothing else, at present, to acquaint your Lordship with, pray to God to lengthen your Life, with much Health, and Prosperity, and to give me good Luck, as is in his divine Power, is convenient for us, and I wish. From aboard my Ship, February the twenty eigth, 1601, our Stile. Your Lordships, William Park.
Don Pedro answer’d in few Words, yet so as his Brevity might not exclude Civility, and the Pyrate being satisfy’d, proceeded on his Voyage. The King had at this Time appointed Don Pedro to succeed Don Francis Don Pedro appointed Governor of the Philippines. Tello in the Government of the Philippine Islands, designing him for those Enterprizes he afterwards perform’d. This his Majesty judg’d a proper Resolution, and safe in the Execution; for what Person is fit to be pitch’d upon to Govern the utmost Limits of so far extended a Dominion, but such a one as is endu’d with both Valour and Loyalty, two necessary Qualifications to secure the Respect and Submission due to an absent Prince; a Matter of much Difficulty in remote Governments?