His Majesty sent the title of adelantado to the commander, for himself and for his heirs, with the warrant for this privilege with pendant seal. This was extended to the Ladrones Islands, which were the first that he discovered and took possession of. That clause declares: “Just as (says his Majesty) our adelantados of the kingdoms of Castilla and of the Indias enjoy and exercise this title; you shall have all the honors, concessions, favors, franchises, privileges and exemptions, preëminences, prerogatives, and immunities, which, as our adelantado, you should possess and enjoy.”
The above is given place here, because, on the one hand, it was negotiated by our religious; and, on the other, to show ourselves grateful, to him who loved and protected us in everything. Moreover, his Majesty sent him leave to apportion the encomiendas among the deserving, as seemed best to his judgment. The governor was very grateful for all the favors received from his Majesty. He was not puffed up, but more than ever devoted to his service; for no fetters bind the good so tightly as do kindnesses, which are strong shackles, with which they are held within just limits. Compedes namque invenit qui benefacta invenit.[29]
The adelantado—for so shall we call him now—became more fully and correctly informed of all the islands; and learned that that of Sugbú was not adequate, on account of its sterility, to sustain the empire of the Spaniards. He had been informed also that the island of Luzon, or that of Manila, would be the best for him in everything; because of being, on the one hand, the largest of the islands—for it had a coast of more than two hundred leguas, and was almost four hundred in circumference—and being on the other, more thickly settled with people, who would be more prompt to sustain the Spaniards. And above all it was nearer China, whose trade, it was hoped, would prove of great advantage, not only for those who might colonize the islands, but also for all España. For that exceedingly vast kingdom abounds in whatever can be desired to sustain life, and is such that, since it has so many people who have no room to live on land, many make their habitations on the sea in certain small champáns, a sort of boat, very suitable for them. Nevertheless, the large vessels with chapas, and those of lesser size, are well nigh innumerable; and they sail annually to surrounding countries, laden with food and merchandise. Forty, and upwards, were wont to come to Manila alone. In the year 1631, although then not [many of them] were coming, the number amounted to fifty, counting large and small vessels. We will not mention those that go to Japón; and although, in going there, they experience very great trouble, still a constant stream of vessels go thither, for great profits are derived there. These vessels go to Siam, Camboja, Borney, Maluco, and Macasar. In short, they coast and go everywhere, and carry iron, quicksilver, silk, rice, pork, gold, and innumerable other things, without causing any deficiency for their own sustenance. They carry away all the silver in the world; and even that of Europa, or its value, is about to cease, for the Portuguese and other nations, as the English and Hollanders, carry it to the Sangleys, without a single piece of money, or one real’s worth of silver, leaving their own country. Thus (and I do not deceive myself in saying it) the kingdom of China is the most powerful in the world; and we might even call it the world’s treasury, since the silver is imprisoned there, and is given an eternal prison. And if there were no more silver there than what has been taken from Mexico during sixty-six years of trade, it could make them most wealthy; and much more so, inasmuch as the Mexican silver is not the most that they get, for they take much from other quarters. They are the most greedy for and affectioned to silver of any race known. They hold it in the greatest esteem, for they withdraw the gold from their own country in order to lock up the silver therein. And when they see silver, they look at it admiringly. I am writing not from hearsay, but from the sight and experience of many years. Consequently, he who has any silver, and takes passage with them, is not safe. Deprædari ergo desiderat qui thesaurum publice portat in via.[30] It would not be bad if they only despoiled him, but they will beat him most cruelly with clubs, which they use as weapons. Great misfortunes have happened in these islands, some of which will be recounted in the proper place. Nevertheless, the Spaniard does not notice that no one receives any harm [from the Chinaman], except when he opens the doors to him, and brings him into his house. Besides this they are excellent merchants, and are very tractable; and in this regard they are far ahead of the Japanese. The Sangley, or Chinaman (for the two are one), when he makes any profit in his merchandise, trusts and waits very accommodatingly. We shall treat of their other customs as occasion offers. This trade, then, must doubtless have influenced our adelantado in going to the land nearest it, in addition to his own comfort, which was found there with advantages. Accordingly, when he had prepared his fleet of caracoas—the most suitable war-vessel in the islands—they set sail with them after two o’clock at night, with oar and sail, taking advantage of the weather. At five in the afternoon, they reached land and made port, where the men ate, and took what wood and water were necessary. These boats have bamboo counter-balances at the side, whereby it appears that they sail more securely; for the canes, being large and hollow, have great sustaining power. It has happened that a sea-going caracoa has kept continually above water during a hurricane, until driven by the waves upon some island; and, as there are so many islands, they cannot fail to strike one. The Indians embarked very willingly with the adelantado, for their greatest pleasure consists in cutting off a head. And they desired all the others to be subjects, since they were; and that no one should escape the fire, but that the law should be universal. Besides, the Bisayans were generally at war with the inhabitants of Manila—who were now Moros, through contact with Borney, and captured the former, since they were men of greater valor; and now the Bisayans wished to prove whether they could use their swords and cutlasses against them under the protection of Castilla. Father Fray Diego de Herrera went with the adelantado. He seemed tireless, and wished only at one stroke to take everything for God, whose zeal moved him.
They arrived, then, at that island, after reducing to their service on the way, all the islands in their path. These are not few, such as those of Masbate, Sibuyan or Sigan, Bantong, Romblón, Marinduque, and Mindoro. The island of Manila is as large as I have already stated. Access to it is obtained through the highest part of the island.[31] These are seen from Manila, and give notice of what is passing, in accordance with the signals that the governor has made or given. A Chinese vessel is signaled by one fire; one from Macan by two; one from India by three; and one from Castilla by four. Both entrances are navigable, for both are very deep. Then the entrance expands into the most beautiful bay that I think the world possesses; for it is more than forty leguas in circumference.[32] Anchorage can be found in all parts of it, and its maximum depth is not over forty brazas. The bottom is sand and mud, without a single pebble. A marvelous number of rivers and creeks empty into the bay, which cause the latter to be more frequented. It is so filled with fish that, although so great a town is fed by them, it never begs alms outside. When the vendavals blow, the weather is terrific; for they come from the sea, and the waves sweep in from the sea, and become so violent that ships cannot navigate without great danger. Since the vessels are laden in the time of vendaval season, and the distance from Manila to Cavite—the port—is two leguas eastward, the crossing is very dangerous during the vendaval, and great misfortunes have occurred, both to property and to life, without the governors being able to remedy it—or rather, caring to do so, for they could easily remedy it. But let us leave their government, which does not concern us. The settlement, then most flourishing, was located where the city of Manila is situated, namely, at the mouth of the Pasig River where it empties into the sea, and on the south side of it. On the north side is located another settlement, which formerly was very large, and even now is not small; for what it lacks in Tagáls, it makes up in Chinese Christians, and those who have settled there. It is called Tondo,[33] and our convent there is a very handsome building, being entirely of cut stone. The convent contains the equipage of the father provincials, who have gone there to live. This seems well advised, because they do not stay in Manila, nor can they stay there; and by this method they save themselves innumerable inconveniences and importunities. Besides, whenever necessary, they can reach Manila very quickly by taking a boat just outside the court of the church and descending a salt-water stream; then they cross the Pasig River—all this in less than one-half hour—and disembark at the very gate of Santo Domingo. Our adelantado thought rightly that the conflict with those Moros must cost much blood, as the latter were aided by many other towns—both along the coast, and up along the river—which endure unto this day, still as flourishing and numerous as before. Already these peoples had been informed of events in Sugbú, of the victory over the Portuguese, and the subjection of the other islands. It seemed a difficult thing for them to stem the tide, and to kick against the pricks; and accordingly, they came to regard as well that which—according as affairs were going, with wind and tide in favor of the adelantado—they should have considered as ill.
The greatest chiefs of that country then were the old Rajá, Rajá Solimán, and Lacandola. These men, as they already observed the pernicious worship of Mahoma, imitated Mahometan names, as well as their customs. On the part of the Spaniards, their coming thither and the advantages that the natives could derive therefrom were proposed. These would not be few, since they would enjoy entire peace, whereby all their affairs would prosper. Fiat pax in virtute tua et abundantia.[34] The principal thing would be, that they would be freed from the error of the law under which they were living; for the only true law, and way of salvation, was the law of the Christians. That law those religious whom the Spaniards brought there would teach them. The religious had come with only this object, and time would prove the truth. All this was very easy for them, but in what pertains to the changing of the law they found most difficulty; for they thought that they could attain life eternal by means of the law under which they were living. The cursed Mahoma made the law, and ordered his believers not to dispute his law; for he knew that his lies would immediately be laid open at the first attack. On the other hand he advised them that each one was saved by his own law. Therefore, cursed demon, if thus you have advised, how in spite of torments, do you contrive that your law is received? This law Mahoma introduced into the world with force and arms. I am not surprised that these natives were so sorry to leave their religion, for they were persuaded that there was salvation thereby. But they preferred to follow Mahoma—homicide, drunkard, incestuous, robber, and sensual—than Christ, exposed naked on a cross, who preached fasting, mortification, chastity, penitence, love for one’s enemy, and other virtues. The Borneans who were living in their country offered the greatest opposition to them, and were persuading them to the contrary, with the cessation of their cursed religion. But as this was a matter that could not be concluded in one day, but only gradually, and they had to be convinced of their errors and superstitions by the true and forcible arguments of our religion, it was left for the fathers—whose fasting, abstinence, prayers, and sermons were to cast out that demon, so strongly fortified in the hearts of those poor wretches. Hoc genus (demoniorum) non ejicitur nisi per orationem et jejunium.[35]
Upon this, those Moros or Tagáls received the peace offered them, and rendered homage to King Don Felipe, our sovereign—whom may God keep in His glory—and to his successors, the sovereigns of España. The adelantado set up the standard for him and in his name. This was concluded and effected in the year 1571, day of the glorious St. Andrew, the patron saint of Manila. On that day, the standard is carried in that city, the capital of the islands, in the same manner as we related in describing the city of Santísimo Nombre de Jesús in the island of Sugbú. It is now carried with much less pomp than formerly, for all things are declining; and as affairs had their beginning, so they must have their middle and their end, for they are perishable and finite, and consequently must end.
Chapter XV
Continuation of the preceding chapter
Inasmuch as all one’s affairs are subject to change, those things which apparently have greatest stability show, when one least thinks it, their defects [muestran la hilaza] and reveal their mutability. So it happened here. The adelantado was very happy indeed at the extremely good outcome of events, and at the peace so fortunately obtained in a matter, which, in his constant opinion, to buy cheaply had to be at the cost of much bloodshed. For everything he, as so thorough a servant of God, rendered thanks to the Lord, whose will governs all things; and man on his part does but little. But his happiness was of short duration, for that inconstant race, with the ease already mentioned, turned about, and tried to employ war in order to relieve themselves from the yoke that had been placed on their necks—in their opinion with little wisdom [on their part]; for without testing the ranks of the foreign enemy they had surrendered their land, where each one is a lion. In short, they perjured themselves, after having given their word, by breaking it. But as the Moro keeps no promise, except when to his own advantage, they made their forts and mounted therein a few small pieces obtained by exchange from Borney—whence they obtained these things, as being related by religion. All was already war and the din thereof, so that, necessarily, the voices of the preachers were not listened to—although, as they were so fervent, they did not discontinue performing their duties and efforts with all, and busying themselves in learning the [native] language. For, although nearly all the languages resemble one another in construction, yet they have so many different words that each one must be learned with special care, so that the native can better understand the father. The Tagál language is the principal one spoken in the island of Luzón. Father Fray Diego de Ordóñez learned this language very quickly, and with it obtained what result those warlike confusions and rumors permitted him. The aged and holy Fray Juan de Alba, who had previously been stationed in the river Alaguer, in the island of Panay, had come with father Fray Diego de Herrera. Although one would think that his advanced years would excuse him from learning like a child, yet, to the end that he might serve our Lord, whose work it was, he endeavored to become young, even making it his duty. And what is more, while the struggle was in progress, and a general stampede was looked for daily, he descended to the hostile natives, contrary to the advice of many, preached to them, taught them, and exhorted them to peace, without on that account being in any evident danger, for the Lord protected him as another prophet Elias.