This generall was a goodly man of person, and was verie well apparelled, and did sit in a chaire in the sterne of his ship, the which was all couered to keepe away the sunne: hee commanded the Captaine Omoncon to sit downe by him vpon the hatches, without chaire or any other thing, who did obey him, although first hee did refuse it with great modestie, as not woorthie to haue that honour, which was not esteemed a little. After that he was set, he gaue him to vnderstand in effect of all his voyage and successe, and in what extremitie he left Limahon, and also howe that hee carried with him the friers and other Spaniards, which went to carrie the newes, and to intreate of peace with the vizroy of Aucheo: vnto whome, and vnto the gouernor of Chincheo, hee carried presents, sent from the gouernor and generall of the fielde of the Ilands Philippinas. When the generall had heard this relation, he commanded the boate to returne and to bring them before him, that hee might see what manner of men they were of person and the vse of apparell, and likewise to satisfie himselfe of other desires that came into his mind by that which Omoncon had saide of them. The fathers and their companions did obey the commandement, and did imbarke themselues in the boate (although it were with some feare), and came vnto the shippe, whereas the generall receiued them with great curtesie after his fashion, and shewed them a good countenance, and tokens that he very much reioyced to see them and the vse of their apparell they ware. But after awhile hee commanded that they shoulde bee put vnder hatches, which was the occasion to augment the feare they conceiued when they were sent for: and the more when they saw that they were commanded to be shut vp in a cabin with the interpreter that they brought with them.
This being done, they were in great care howe they might vnderstand the generals pretence; and at a close doore that was before the cabin whereas they were, uppon a sudden they might see that all those that were in the shippe did arme themselues in great haste, and the Captaine Omoncon amongst them: then they heard bases and harqubus shot, with a great noise of people, which did verie much alter them: in such sort that they looked euery moment when they should come and cut of their heads. Whilst that our people were in this agonie and great feare, Omoncon considered of them and of the charge that he had to bring them thither: therewith he sent one of his seruants to giue them to vnderstand of all that they had heard and seene, wherewith they did quiet themselues, and put away al the feare that they had conceiued with their suddain putting downe in the cabine, and the shooting off of those peeces. The which the better to giue you to vnderstand, I will first declare vnto you the occasion (and then after the rest). Limahon had not so soone taken his course towards the ilands, but straightwaies it was knowne in the kingdome of China: and the vizroy of Ochian, by the order that he had from the roiall counsell, did command all gouernors of such cities that were nigh vnto the coast, to dispatch away shipping for to go follow and seeke him, with aduertisement that hee who did accomplish this diligence with the first, should be very wel rewarded and esteemed, for that they feared that if the They call the Spaniards Castillas. rouer should ioine with ye Castillas (for so they do cal the Spaniards in that country, of whom they haue had great notice), might thereby grow some great harme and inconuienence, which afterwards could not be well remedied: which was the occasion that they made the more haste, for that if it were possible to take him, or else to spoile his shipping before that he should come vnto the said ilands. In accomplishing of this commandement, the gouernor of Chincheo did prouide shipping, and did sende the captaine Omoncon with them: but yet he could not prouide them of souldiers and other necessaries till certaine daies after that he was gone foorth: so he went till hee came and met with the Spaniards, nigh vnto Buliano (as aforesaid).
About the same time the general of the bay that was there to defend the cost, did dispatch another ship for to enquire and know where the rouer was, and to bring relation therof, that straightwayes they might go and assalt him with all the whole armie. This ship was the fathers of Sinsay, he that was friend vnto the Castillas, who came in companie with the friers from the ilands (as it is said), and he went in the said ship for pilot; who, although hee went out of the port with great speede, yet with greater hast hee returned againe without mastes or yardes, for that they lost them in a great storme and torment that tooke them in the gulfe, whereas they thought to haue beene lost.
At the same time that the friers departed from Buliano to Pagansinan, being requested to come thither by the master of the field (as aforesaid), there was in the same port a ship of China, that came vnto the ilands to traficke; and being well informed of all things, as well in what extremity the Spaniards had the rouer, as also of ye going of Omoncon, and how that he carried vnto the firme lande the aforesaide friers and their companions. The said shippe departed in a morning very secretly, ten dayes before that Omoncon did make saile, and came to the firme land the saide ten daies before, and gaue notice thereof vnto the gouernor of all that they had vnderstood, as wel by relation as by sight; and how that ther came with Omoncon and the Spaniards, Sinsay, who was he that in al things touching Limahon was the dooer, and that whatsoeuer shall happen good in this relation, they ought to giue the praise and thanks vnto him, and not vnto Omoncon. This he spake for the good affection he had vnto Sinsay by way of friendship, for that he was of the same profession, a merchant.
The gouernour of the bay being verie desirous to haue the rewarde and thankes of the king, with occasion to say that the sonne of him whom he sent to follow and seeke Limahon was the chiefe and principall meanes of that good successe. Straight wayes, so soone as hee heard the newes of the shippe that ariued there tenne dayes before (as aforesaide), he commaunded sixe shippes to goe foorth of the baye to the sea, with order and commission to bring the ship to an anker in the sayd bay, and not to suffer him to go into any other place: and otherwise they could not, at least wayes, they would bring with them Sinsay, for that they would send him post vnto the uiceroy, for to declare vnto him all that had passed particularly. These sixe ships came verie nigh vnto that wherein was the generall aforesaid, at such time as our Spaniardes were with the generall, and they neuer could perceiue it, for that there were many in the baye, some going and some comming; but when that hee had discouered them, then he caused our people to be put vnder hatches because they should not be seene, and commanded those that were in the shippe to arme themselues for their defence if need required.
In the meane time that they made resistance with this ship, one of the sixe ships did borde that shippe wherein came Omoncon, pretending to take her, and beleeued to doo it with great ease. But it happened vnto them cleane contrarie, for that the souldiers that were within did defende their ship valiantly. Sinsay, with a very good will, would haue suffered the ship wherein his father came to haue carried away the other, if the souldiers of Omoncon would haue consented therunto. They did not only misse of their purpose, but also many of them were hurt in the attempting to enter the ship: the saide ship did fall aborde there whereas was their captaine Omoncon, who at that instant did call our Spaniardes in his shippe, out of the generalles shippe whereas they were; which was doone with such speede, that it was accomplished before any of the other ships could come vnto them, although they did procure it. Then did Omoncon arme himselfe to the warre, for to defend himselfe, his ship, and all that were therein, or to die there. The fryers and their companions, when they vnderstoode the cause of their strife and fighting, partly by suspition in that they had seene, as by that which Omoncon did sende them worde, did offer themselues vnto him, promising him to die with him if neede did so require, and requested him to appoint them what they should do, and they would accomplish it with a very good will. At this time all the ships were about that of Omoncon, who was not idle, but put foorth his artilerie for their defence, asking powder of the Spaniardes, for that they had little left: the generall did not depart from the shippe from the time that the Spaniardes went vnto him, neither did hee remooue out of his chayre, although all the rest that were in the ship were armed.
At this time the captayne of the sixe shippes of Chincheo did put himselfe in a boate and came towardes the shippe of Omoncon for to haue commoned with him; but he would not suffer them to come nigh, but shot at them, and caused them to depart against their willes, and called them all to naught from the poope of his shippe, with manie reprochfull woordes, saying that they came to steale the honour that hee with so great trauayle and perill had gotten. Then the generall, seeing that hee could not goe through with his purpose, hee determined to leaue him, and therewith to cast about with his shippes, and returned into the port of the baye from whence they came. This brought in his shippe a sonne of Sinsay, to giue occasion vnto his father for to come vnto him, and likewise his owne father, whome they did straightwayes put in prison, and his wife and mother: which is a thing commonly vsed in that countrie, the children to pay for their parentes, and to the contrarie, the parents for the children.
Sinsay, who feared the same, woulde not goe vnto his owne house till such time as he did carrie commandement from the uiceroy, for to deliuer out of prison those that were put there without desert: the which was granted by the uiceroy, with other fauours and great honour, as shall bee declared vnto you.