CHAP. X.
Omoncon departeth with certificate, in what perplexitie he left Limahon the rouer, and doth carrie with him the fathers of S. Augustine.
The twelfth day of June, in the yeare of our Lord 1575, being Sunday in the morning, the aforesaid gouernor and all that were in the cittie did ioyne and go together vnto the monasterie of saint Augustine, where was deuout prayers made vnto the Holy Ghost, and after they had all of them requested of God so to direct the voyage, that it might be to the honor and glorie of his diuine majestie, and to the saluation of the soules of that kingdome, whome Lucyfer had so long possessed, Omoncon and Sinsay did take their leaue of the gouernour, and of the rest, giuing them thankes for their good entertainment that they made them, and did promise them, in recompence thereof, to bee alwayes their assured friends, as shall appeare by his works, and to carry them, whome he did request of his owne good will, with securitie as vnto himselfe, and that he would first suffer wrong himselfe, before any should be done vnto those whom he had on his charge. The gouernor and all the rest did thankfully accept his new offer, giuing him to vnderstand that they were fully perswaded that his word and deede should be all one, and therewith they tooke their leaue of them, and of the religious men with the two souldiers their companions, not lacking teares to be shed on both parts.
Then did they al imbarke themselues in a ship of the ilands which was made readie for the same effect, and went out of the port in the company of another shippe with merchants of China that were at Manilla, into the which Sinsay put himselfe with all their victuals, for to carry it vntill they came vnto the port of Buliano, whereas was the great shippe of Omoncon, wherin they should make their voyage; which was that which was forced to returne backe againe by reason of foule wether: they aryued at the same port the Sunday following, for that the winde was somewhat contrarie, and had lost the shippe that carried their victuals, but after founde her at an anker in the port, for that she was the bigger shippe and sailed better: they founde also in her two Spanish souldiers, whom the generall of the fielde had sent from Pagansinan, for that, from the place whereas he was, he did see the saide ship to enter into the port, with commandement for to carrie them vnto him. This did cause vnto the religious men and souldiers a suspition that the generall of the fielde woulde procure to stay them vntill such time as he did see the ende of the siege of the fort, which euerie day was looked when they would yeelde, for that they shoulde carry with them Limahon the rouer aliue or dead. Uppon the which almost euery one gaue his iudgement, that it were better to depart without obeying his commandement, neither to take their leave of him, but to prosecute their voyage so much desired, for they thought euerie houre of their staying to bee a whole yeare: fearing that euerie thing would be an impediment to disturbe their intent and purpose: but better persuading themselues, knowing the good condition and great Christianitie of the generall of the fielde, whom frier Martin had alwayes in place of his sonne, for that he was the neuew vnto the Adelantado Legaspi, the first gouernor and discouerer of the said Philippinas, whom he brought with him from Mexico, being but a child: they were agreed to go vnto him, and shewe their obedience, and to take their leaue of him and of all the rest of their friends that were in the camp. So with this determination they put their shippe into the river Pagansinan, which was but seuen leagues from the saide port. They had not sailed three leagues but a contrary winde so charged them, that they were constrained to returne into the port from whence they came, and there concluded amongst themselues to send Pedro Sarmiento in the barke wherein came the two souldiers aforesaid; for that it was little and went with oares, they might with lesse daunger enter into the riuer of Pagansinan, rowing vnder the shoore: and that hee in the name of them all should conferre with the generall of the field, and so take his leaue of him and of all the rest of their friends, whome they did request that they would not forget them in their prayers, to commend them vnto God to bee their aider and helper in this their pretence, so much desired of them all: and gave him great charge to bring with him the interpreter that they should carrie with them, which was a boy of China that was baptised in Manilla, and could speake Spanish very well; he was named Gernando.[9] This Pedro Sarmiento came thither, and did accomplish all that was commended vnto him verie faithfully: but the generall of the field was not therewith satisfied, neither the captaines and souldiers that were with him, for that the father friers were very wel beloued of them, for they deserued it: so they determined to send for them, and to request them to come thither and see them, being so nigh as they were. They being vnderstood by the friers (not without the suspition aforesaid), and seeing that they could not excuse to go vnto them to accomplish their commandement and gentle request, they departed out of Buliano with a faire wind, for that the storme was done, although the sea was a little troubled; and therewith they ariued at Pagansinan whereas they were well receiued of the generall of the fielde, and of all the rest with great ioy and pleasure. Their suspition fell out cleane contrarie as they thought, for that the generall of the fielde would not stay them, but did dispatch them with all speede possible, and did deliuer vnto them at the instant all such captiues as the gouernor had commanded, and the souldiers that had them did with a verie good will deliuer them, seeing to what intent it did extende, and also the interpreter, with all other thinges that was necessarie and requisite for the voyage; and writ a letter vnto Omoncon, who remained in Buliano, that hee would fauour and cherish them as he did not thinke to the contrarie: and did ratifie that which the gouernour had promised him, for to sende the rouer aliue or deade, after they had ended their siege by one meanes or other. He also requested of frier Martin de Herrada that he would carrie with him one Nicholas de Cuenca, a souldier of his company, for to buy for him certaine things in China, who did accept the same with a verie good wil, and promised to intreat him as one of his owne, and haue him in as great regard: and therewith they departed and went vnto the port of Buliano from whence they came, taking their leaue of the generall of the field and of all the rest of the campe, with no lesse teares then when they departed from Manilla. He sent to beare them company til they came vnto the port, the sergeant maior, who carried with him a letter vnto the captaine Omoncon, and a present of victuals and other things; and other two letters, the one for the gouernor of Chincheo, and the other for the vizroy of the prouince of Ochian, wherein he doth giue them to vnderstand how that he hath burnt al the fleete of Limahon, and slaine many of his companions, and howe that he hath besieged him so straightly that it is not possible for him to escape, neither indure long without yeelding of himselfe; and then either aliue or dead he would send him, as the gouernor of Manilla had writ and promised. These two letters were accompanied with two presents, wherein was a basen and an ewre of siluer, and certaine robes of Spanish cloth, the which the Chinos doo esteeme very much, as also other things of great valew that they have not in their country, and craving pardon because he did not send more. The occasion was for that he was in that place, and all his goods in the cittie of Manilla. The same day with a faire winde they came vnto the port Buliano, whereas they found Omoncon abiding their comming, and receiued all such things as the sergeant maior did carrie him in the name of the generall of the field, and rendered vnto him great thanks, and made a new promise to accomplish that offer made vnto the gouernor.
[9] Misprint for "Fernando."
CHAP. XI.
The Spaniards do depart with the captain Omoncon from the port of Buliano, and ariue at the firme lande of China.
The desire was so much of this father frier Martin de Herrada to be in China, as well for to preach in it the holy gospel, as also for to see the wonders that haue beene reported to be in that countrie, that although he was dispatched by the gouernor and generall of the fielde, yet he thought that their voyage would be interrupted: and therefore to see himselfe free from this feare and suspition, so soon as he came vnto the port of Buliano to the captaine Omoncon, hee requested him with great vehemencie, that he would straightwayes set saile, for that the winde serued well for their purpose. Then Omoncon, who desired no other thing, but thought euery houre that he tarried to be a whole yeare, commanded forthwith the mariners to make all thinges in a redinesse to set saile, and to bring home all their ankers, and ride apicke, redie to depart after midnight: the which was done as hee had commanded. So vppon a Sunday at the break of day, being 25. of June, they took a Spaniard souldier into their They departed towards China. companie, who was called John de Triana, and vsed him in their seruice, for that hee was a mariner. So at the same time, after they had praied vnto God to direct their voyage, they set saile with a prosperous winde. There was with the friers, souldiers, and men of seruice, twentie persons, besides the Chinos that were captiues, and the people of the captaine Omoncon. They were not so soone off from the coste, but the winde abated and they remained becalmed certaine dayes: but afterwards they had a lustie gale, that carried them forwards. Their compasses diuided into 12 partes. The Chinos doo gouerne their ships by a compasse deuided into twelue partes, and doo vse no sea cardes, but a briefe description of Ruter,[10] wherewith they doo nauigate or saile: and commonly for the most part they neuer go out of the sight of land. They maruelled very much when that it was told them, that comming from Mexico vnto Philippinas, they were three monethes at the sea and neuer sawe land. So it pleased God, that although it was verie calme and little winde stirring, that we made but little way, yet, upon the Sunday following, which was the thirde of July, we had sight of the land of China: so that we found all our voyage from the port of Buliano, from whence we departed, vnto the firme land, to be one hundred and fortie leagues; and twenty leagues before they came in the sight thereof, they had sounding at three score and tenne, and fourscore fathome, and so waxed lesse and lesse vntill they came to the lande, which is the best and surest token they haue to be nigh the land. In all the time of their voyage, the captain Omoncon with his companie shewed such great curtesie and friendship to our men, as though they had been the owners of the saide ship: and at such time as they did imbarke themselues, he gaue his own cabin yt was in the sterne to ye friers, and vnto Pedro Sarmiento and to Miguel de Loarcha, he gaue another cabin that was very good, and commanded his company in the ship that they should respect them more then himselfe; the which was in such sort, that on a day, at the beginning of their voyage, the fathers founde them making of sacrifice vnto their idols, and told them that all which they did was a kinde of mockage, and that they shoulde worshipe but onely one God: and willed them to doe so no more. Who, onely in respect of them, did leaue it off, and not vse it after in all the voyage: whereas before they did vse it euerie day manie times.