The Philippine Islands, 1493-1898 — Volume 17 of 55 / 1609-1616 / Explorations by Early Navigators, Descriptions of the Islands and Their Peoples, Their History and Records of the Catholic Missions, as Related in Contemporaneous Books and Manuscripts, Showing the Political, Economic, Commercial and Religious Conditions of Those Islands from Their Earliest Relations with European Nations to the Close of the Nineteenth Century

by Unknown

[20] A kind of silk grograin.

[21] Gabriel de la Cruz (in the Moluccas as early as 1605), together with Lorenzo Masonio (Laurent Masoni) wrote a relation entitled Relacion de la toma de las islas de Ambueno y Tidore que consigueiron los Holandes en este año de 1605, which is published by Colin in his Labor Evangélica, lib. iv, chap. ii. Masoni was born at Campolleto (Naples), February 27, 1556. He entered the Jesuit order when already a priest, in 1582. In 1586 he went to the Indies, where he died at Amboina, July 19, 1631. He wrote also a letter from that island, which is published in Lettera annuæ di Giappone (Roma, 1605), pp. 113–121; also in Hist. Univers. des Indes orientales, by Antoine Magín (Sommervogel).

[22] The author of the present relation precedes the portion here presented, which appears to be complete, by a notice of the death of Father Antonio Pereira. This notice appears to have been abridged by Ventura del Arco, who copied the document from the archives. La Concepción states (vol. iv of his history) that after Acuña had recovered the Malucos, all but two of the Jesuit priests there were ordered to Malaca. This included Pereira, who was stationed on the island of Siao. The authorities at Malaca contended that the care of these religious devolved upon the Philippines, hence they were ordered to go there. Pereira left Malaca in July, 1608, for Manila in a Portuguese vessel, but they were wrecked after twenty days’ voyage. The Portuguese and Father Pereira started for Borneo next morning in the small boat, leaving 130 slaves who were in the vessel to their fate. After four days the boat reached a desert island, with its occupants famished. Father Pereira, having a knowledge of the region, procured water from one of the hollow canes growing on the island. There they were captured by Moro or Malay pirates and sold by them to the Borneans. They were sent to Manila in a small boat by the sultan; but, in a storm, Father Pereira died. He was a son of Gonzalo Pereira, who had also lived at Siao. Father Pereira had aided Chirino in various labors in Cebú, whence he later returned to Siao.

[23] This phrase, the usual epithet of the general of the Jesuit order, would indicate that Lopez was addressing that official—who was then Claudio Aquaviva; he died on January 31, 1615.

Letter from Silva to Felipe III

Sire:

In the capitana “San Juan Bautista,” which sailed from this port on the twelfth of July last, I gave your Majesty an account of everything that had occurred up to that time; I likewise did so by the Dutch almiranta, which left four days later. But as it was not so good a sailing ship as the capitana, and did not weather the storms so well, it was delayed several days, without being able to get outside the island of Fortun. I ordered it to return thence to this port, as it appeared that it was not fit for a freight ship, and because it was necessary for the service of your Majesty, owing to new developments, which I shall here detail. A fortnight after the ships were despatched, and when the almiranta was about to put out to sea, there arrived here a fragata belonging to your Majesty, which came from Goa, and had sailed from Terrenate for Yndia, loaded with cloves. It brought me a despatch from the viceroy, Ruy Lorenco de Tabora, in which he informed me of his arrival in that kingdom, and in what desolation he found the affairs of Yndia, and particularly the trade, on account of the Dutch. And he said that, in order to make safe the voyage from Japon, he sent Don Diego de Vasconçelos de Meneses, with eight galleons, well provided with men, artillery, and supplies of war, with orders that if I should advise him that he might accomplish some good for the service of your Majesty, he should attend to it with his fleet. Likewise General Diego de Vasconcelos wrote to me from Malaca, that he was crossing to Macan with six galleys and one urca;[1] and that there he would await advices from me or from Maluco, so that, if anything could be accomplished for the service of your Majesty, he could be present with his fleet. The day after the arrival of this fragata, there entered this port a Dutch patache, which had been taken by Captain Pedro de Avellaneda, with the galley “San Christobal,” close to the island of Tidore, after a fight of three hours; and in it were General Pablos Brancaorden [i.e., van Caerden], twenty others, and five Dutch. This general is the one who was taken in another galleota by Captain Pedro de Heredia, and who was ransomed by Master-of-camp Christobal de Axqueta for fifty of our soldiers and sailors, thirty Indian pioneers and artisans, and six thousand pesos in money. All the forces that the enemy has in Maluco and Banda were in his command. The said master-of-camp advises me that only a patache and one ship of the enemy’s had remained in the islands; and that although he sent a vessel with persons acquainted with the language to Ambueno to learn whether a fleet had come, there was no news of one, and the enemy were greatly cast down and discouraged to see that no fleet was coming to them, as there is little hope that it will be here this year, for none thus far has waited longer than May or June to come. When the information was sent [to me] it was the thirtieth of July, and there was no word of a fleet.

I have already informed your Majesty that the Dutch, our enemy, are masters of all the Malucas Islands and Banda, and how important this is. By a memorial and calculation which was found among other papers in the possession of General Pablos Brancaerden, lately captured, an account is given of the revenue, which amounts yearly to more than four million pesos. Nothing has remained for your Majesty throughout all these islands, except the fort of Terrenate. All the natives are with the Dutch, and having chosen as their king the younger son of the one who is a prisoner here, they help the Dutch to fight and to fortify the islands, without one of them being on our side. The king of Tidore is thus far in our favor, much to the disgust of his vassals, and our fear lest they make an agreement with the enemy—in which case he would be ruined, and there would be no remedy for it.

I have also informed your Majesty that the emperor of Japon has assigned two ports and factories in his kingdom to the Dutch, and the latter are making strenuous efforts to secure one in China. If they succeed in this, and trade in silks, gold, quicksilver and other riches from that great kingdom to Japon, and Europe, it will be worth to them every year more than the spice trade, in which case (may God avert it!) this country and Yndia would be ruined. For, as is known, it is impossible to support them without the traffic and merchandise, particularly the spices and silk; and as the Dutch heretics are such mortal enemies of the crown of España, and so rich, we may well fear that, in league with other European princes, envious, and even fearful of the power of your Majesty, they may claim rights over some of the territories in your Majesty’s possession, and attempt something that would give cause for anxiety. All these reasons have induced me to use all care and diligence, without sparing labor or danger, to bring about a junction of forces; and, although they cannot be such as are demanded by this undertaking, at least they will be such as to allow an attempt with the favor of God, toward driving the Dutch out of Maluco, and taking from them the fortresses that they have built in those islands. Accordingly, after having consulted with the Audiencia, the archbishop, and the council of war, I ordered the master-of-camp, Juan Xuarez Gallinato, to go to Macan and find Don Diego de Vasconcelos; and to represent to him by word of mouth what I had already informed him of by letters, namely, all that I am informing your Majesty of, and how good the occasion is this year. May God further our efforts; for if we lose this chance, and await the coming of the fleet, although it might bring with it more strength, it is certain either that the enemy would also have more, and that their forts would be better fortified, whereby the difficulty would be increased—or, as they say, your Majesty will by some peace or arrangement concede to them their continuance in what they possess, both there and here. And, in order that Don Diego may have no difficulty in the voyage here, the master-of-camp was given money to provide that fleet with everything necessary. And if perchance Don Diego should hesitate in regard to the authority of the command and the government, I have ordered the said master-of-camp to offer him on my behalf whatever he may ask. For I desire so earnestly, with my heart and life, that so great a good may be attained, and so great a service accomplished for your Majesty and for Christendom, that, in order that it might be effected, I would gladly go and serve as a soldier. I believe indeed that Don Diego will not stop for this last; but I am providing against anything that can hinder this expedition and the service of your Majesty.