In the relation of the last year you will have learned how occurred the death, in the pacification of the island of Mindanao, of Estevan Rodriguez de Figueroa, who offered to carry out this pacification under the conditions which he stipulated with Gomez Perez Dasmariñas, formerly governor of these islands—copies of which were sent to his Majesty, and to master-of-camp Juan de Lajara, formerly of the said expedition, who succeeded to his place when the camp was abandoned, and came to Manila. Don Francisco Tello, governor and captain-general of the said Philipinas Islands, who at that time had taken possession of the government was considering how to aid and stimulate the said pacification at the expense of the heirs of Estevan Rodriguez, and with the agreement of the captains and persons who were long resident and experienced in war in the said islands. Don Juan Ronquillo was appointed commander of the galleys, to prosecute the said pacification; and in the meantime, in order to be present and continue the expedition, Captain Torivio de Miranda was sent forward to encourage and animate the troops, under orders to keep them in his charge; and in case the post should be abandoned, and a retreat made to Manila, he should detain the troops and return to Mindanao. The said Captain Toribio de Miranda having arrived at the island of La Caldera, which lies forty leagues from the river of Mindanao, there found the whole camp, which was returning from the said islands. Conformably to the orders which he had, he turned back and fortified the site where they had first been, which was on the river, four leagues from the forts of the enemy. Juan Ronquillo, having been despatched to Mindanao, had taken the camp in his charge, and begun to achieve some success. He achieved a victory in the battle which he fought with the Terrenatans, who had entered with eight hundred men to give aid to the people of Mindanao. Before these successes, he had written a letter in disparagement of that country (a copy of which was sent to his Majesty)—on account of which, in a council of war which had been held, the general Don Juan Ronquillo had been ordered to make a last effort against the Mindanaos, doing them all possible damage. He was then to come to the island of La Caldera, and there build a fort, to be garrisoned with a hundred Spanish soldiers, with artillery, arms, and munitions; and leave them there as a check upon Terrenate and Mindanao, in charge of a good soldier, one of the captains of the camp, and with the rest return to Manila. Although Don Juan Ronquillo received this order, after having won considerable victories, he again wrote that he would not abandon that place, even if such were the order, because it would not be expedient to retire from the camp and comply with what had been ordered, when he was leaving the island of Mindanao already pacified—the chiefs, with whom he had used gentle means, that they might all be more contented, having again rendered submission to his Majesty; and likewise as the king of Jolo again rendered obedience and submission. Confiding in this, Captain Cristoval Villagra, whom Don Juan Ronquillo had appointed commander of the garrison of La Caldera, had sent thirty soldiers to the island of Jolo for supplies. They found at this time in Jolo a Mindanao chief—an uncle of the king of Mindanao, and a brother-in-law of the king of Jolo—who had been driven out of Mindanao because he was rebellious. He treacherously killed thirteen Spanish soldiers. When news of this was brought, Juan Pacho was sent to take the troops of La Caldera in charge; and, when it should seem best to him, to try to inflict punishment on the king of Jolo. Having gone out to inflict the said punishment with six hundred Spaniards, the enemy unfortunately killed the said Juan Pacho and twenty-nine Spaniards, the rest of them retiring without any success. This news having come to the governor, he sent in place of Juan Pacho Captain Toribio de Miranda, a person in whom he had entire confidence, with an order not to attempt any punishment until he had force enough for it. After this Captain Toribio de Miranda arrived at La Caldera on the twenty-sixth of August in ninety-nine. When the garrison was given into his charge he put the defensive works in order; and with the arms which he brought, and those which he found in the fort, he armed all the troops, amounting to a hundred and fourteen soldiers. As directed by an order of the governor, he sent a chief of the Pintados to Mindanao with letters to the chiefs of the island, in which he informed them that they would be protected, favored, and upheld in justice, as vassals of his Majesty, and that with this object a garrison had been placed in La Caldera; and that to aid in maintaining it, and in covering the expenses which they had caused in the war by their disobedience, the largest possible quantity of tributes would be collected for his Majesty, and that he would send for them shortly—which had not been done earlier because the Mindanaos had been so spent and afflicted. Having arrived on the second of September at the river of Mindanao, and delivered his despatch, this chief was well received, and found the people in the settled state in which General Don Juan Ronquillo had left them. Adiamora, the main chief of Mindanao, in the name of them all, sent him back on the fifteenth of the said month, offering to give to his Majesty all the tribute which they could collect.
At this time—news from the chief captain of Malaca having reached the governor, to the effect that in the Sunda, [15] a hundred and fifty leagues from that port, there had been seen a number of English ships, whose designs were not known; and, a little later, word from the commander of the fort of Maluco that there were at Terrenate, within the port, two English ships with four hundred men and fifty pieces of artillery—a council of war was held as to what was best to do. The said council decided to withdraw the garrison from La Caldera to Zibu, so that the enemy should not take that place; and, if they should attempt to do damage to that province, they would find it in a state of defense. Accordingly an order was sent to Captain Toribio de Miranda to withdraw with the troops, arms, artillery, and munitions, dismantling the fort; he was also told that he could return shortly to the island with more troops and arms, in order to assist in its defense. On the ninth of September Captain Toribio de Miranda arrived at Zibu, with all the troops, artillery, arms, and munitions; and at the same time General Don Juan Tello arrived at Zibu with a hundred men, who came as reënforcement from the city of Manila. Having spent six months there and commenced to build a fort of stone, the governor, as they had no more news of the English referred to, sent an order to the said Don Juan to come to the city of Manila—which he did with the hundred men, leaving the province of Zibu in a prosperous condition, with the troops which are usually kept there, and those of the garrison of La Caldera, which in all amount to two hundred and fifty Spaniards.
After all this, in June of 1600 the governor received news, by way of Malaca, that the ships which had passed to the South Sea belonged to Dutch merchants, who had come to load with spices in the Maluco Islands. Having transacted their business, they had returned to their own country by way of Yndia, without doing any damage to the islands of the west; it therefore seems that we are safe, notwithstanding the news received of those enemies.
Oliver van Noordt's Attack on Luzon
Commission to Antonio de Morga
In the city of Manila, on the thirty-first of October of the year one thousand six hundred, the president and auditors of the royal Audiencia and Chancillería of the Philipinas Islands having assembled, the president announced to the said auditors that news had been received that, on the sixteenth of the current month and year, two foreign ships had anchored in the bay of Albay, outside the mouth of the channel of these islands; whereupon he sent by land Captains Pedro de Arceo, Cobarrubias, and Christoval de Axqueta with seventy soldiers—arquebusiers and musketeers—to the place where said ships were stationed, in order to make the defense and resistance that occasion and opportunity might offer. He also ordered several ships to be equipped and prepared at the port of Cavite, so that they could attack the said vessels. At this juncture of affairs, it was now reported that, on the twenty-fourth of the current month and year, the said ships had weighed anchor, left the said bay of Albay, entered the channel of Capul, and anchored at the island of Capul, where they still were. The enemy's intention, according to the president, is to advance upon this city. Accordingly, whatever may happen, both in order to resist him, and to prevent among these islands the possible effects to them and the vessels about to come from Castilla, it is very advisable and necessary to go, with all haste, in pursuit of said enemy, and to assure the safety of the vessels and the port of Cavite. As has been gathered from recent discussions held in the presence of the said president and auditors, with certain captains and men of experience, it is necessary to equip the deep-draught vessels quickly, and what light vessels can be prepared, so that they may attack the enemy. Now in order that the aforesaid preparations may be effected and executed with all diligence and precision by all, it is advisable for the said president and auditors—the latter acting jointly with the said president—to attend personally to this matter, on account of its importance; for thus will the despatch be effected more quickly, and with the necessary equipment. The president requested that, attentive to the aforesaid, they decide and determine the course advisable to pursue in this matter. After having considered the above proposition, the said president and auditors resolved that Doctor Antonio de Morga, auditor of this Audiencia, should go immediately to the port of Cavite and take charge of the despatch and preparation of the vessels about to go to attack the said enemy, and to place the said port in a state of defense. For this purpose he shall request the necessary means, which shall be given him as may be provided and ordained. The licentiate Tellez Almazan, also an auditor of this Audiencia, shall remain in this city to attend to what is necessary for its defense, and for the provision of the said port of Cavite. The president declares that the commandant at either place shall also assist and aid in such work as may be necessary, and as occasion may demand, so that by this means all possible diligence, together with the requisite haste, may be observed.
Don Francisco Tello Doctor Antonio de Morga The licentiate Tellez Almazan
Before me: Pedro Hurtado de Esquivel
In the city of Manila, on the thirteenth of January in the year one thousand six hundred and one, I, Pedro Hurtado de Esquivel, clerk of court for the king our sovereign, in his royal Audiencia and Chancillería of these Philipinas Islands, at the request and order of Doctor Antonio de Morga, of the council of the king our sovereign, and his auditor in this said royal Audiencia, had this copy drawn from its original, which is in the book of the government of his royal Audiencia. It is a true and faithful copy, and agrees with the original thereof, witnesses to its copying, correction, and comparison, being Pedro Muñoz de Herrera, Joan de Arana, and Miguel de Talledo, citizens of Manila.
In testimony thereof, I affix my seal, in witness of the truth.