By command of the king our sovereign: Don Gabriel de Ocaña y Alarcon”
And now on the part of Don Juan Grau y Monfalcon, permanent procurator-general for that city of Manila, he has reminded me that by the decree here inserted I commanded that you should summon the headmen of the Indian natives of those islands, and in my royal name thank them for the willingness with which they have always aided my royal service, as is more fully set forth in the said decree; and that more than ten thousand of them served me on the occasion of the Sangley insurrection, with much valor and good-will, seconding the citizens of that city. He declares that they deserve that I should reward them, in order to encourage them to continue their service when occasion shall offer; and entreats that I will be pleased to command the issue of a decree giving them much praise, since it is very desirable to give them prompt encouragement, that they may also serve and conduct themselves with so great loyalty and faithfulness in other so pressing emergencies. He asks that you will relieve them, and exempt them from some of the many burdens that they carry; for thus they will be encouraged to render me service. The matter having been discussed in my royal Council of the Yndias, considering how just it is to honor, favor, and reward them, in order that they may render greater and more willing obedience to all that shall be ordered to them for my service, I command that you immediately summon the headmen of the Indians, and make known to them in my behalf the esteem that I have for them personally for the courage, affection, and good-will with which they have rendered assistance when emergencies have arisen, and especially in the Sangley insurrection, by which I consider myself well served. You shall give them thanks for this, and favor and reward them in all possible ways, endeavoring to secure their relief, convenience, and comfort. Such is my will; and I shall especially appreciate all that you shall accomplish for their relief and honor. Dated at Çaragoça, on the twenty-fourth of October in the year one thousand six hundred and forty-two.
I the King
By command of the king our sovereign: Don Gabriel de Ocaña y Alarcon Signed by the Council.
FORMOSA LOST TO SPAIN
Brief relation of the loss of the island of Hermosa; of the strength and puissance which the Dutch enemy now has in those parts of Yndia; and of his designs and intentions after having made peace with the Portuguese, and having therefore ceased to wage war against them in those regions of Yndia.
It is well known that it is the great desire of the Dutch enemy, which he has always had, to make himself master of Yndia and its riches, in order with these to continue and push forward his revolt [against Spain], and to encourage attacks against the armies of the king our sovereign—who so justly wages war against the Dutch, in order to bring down their arrogance and destroy their wild heresies. These desires have been very evident, since they have set themselves to the task, and—God permitting this for our sins—have already seized much territory in Yndia; and hardly is there a coast in that country where they have not settled and fortified themselves, enjoying its riches. In especial, they have now, in recent years, seized the city of Malaca, a port and passage that is necessary and very useful for going from Yndia to Great China and Japon; and in Ceilan [i.e., Ceylon] they captured a stronghold called Punta de Gali, and, near the bar of Goa, a carrack (a large galleon) which was coming from the kingdom of Portugal, despatched after the insurrection. Besides this, they seized near the same bar a patache which was coming from Macao with ivory, and two hundred cates of gold, and other rich goods; and now they actually occupy a post near Goa, and are expecting to make themselves masters of all Yndia (unless our Lord shall intercept their designs), by means of this unstable peace which they have now made with the Portuguese. It is very plain that such is the case; for when the order came from Holanda to the Dutch to establish peace with the Portuguese, the former replied to the captain-general and those of his council to the Prince of Orange, and to the Company, saying that peace was not expedient for them in Yndia, because affairs were in such condition that they were confident that Yndia could be conquered within four years. Thereupon, reply was sent to them that, notwithstanding this argument, they should negotiate the said peace, because that was expedient at this time for the liberty of their native land—since, the king of España having his attention thus diverted in Portugal, the Dutch could find therein the opportunity to set their country free.
And not only has this their insatiable and lawless desire extended to making themselves masters of Yndia, as has been already stated, but they are eager to gain possession of what belongs to the crown of Castilla—the city of Manila, Terrenate, Hermosa Island, and other places—in order that thus they may remain alone and more free to enjoy the produce and benefit of all the islands and kingdoms of those regions. The truth of this is made evident by their frequently coming to Manila with many galleons—twenty-two, twenty-four, or twenty-five; but they did not succeed very well there. On that account, and because they recognized that our strength was considerable, and since they were occupied in Yndia against the Portuguese, they withdrew for several years, and returned no more to Manila until now. At present they have become fat on the labor of others, and are disengaged in Yndia; and, knowing well that Manila has not much strength, they intend to wage a very grievous war, carrying it on by weakening our forces, in order thus more safely to make themselves masters of the city and possess its wealth—which, they say with much glee, is very great. With this object, they have come to the Embocadero, during the last two years of 41 and 42, to await the ships which come from Nueva España. In this year of 43 they were going again to the same place, with more ships and forces, and with much caution; but, if they are not able to capture the galleons, they will try to burn them with their own old ships, which they take with them for this purpose. Moreover, this year they are going to try to intercept the succor to Terrenate; and last year they seized the island of Hermosa with a strong force, almost all [the posts] at one time. This was something almost incredible to those who have seen their strength and power in recent times; and it was all done with the object of afterward attacking Manila with the aid of the Sangleys—with whom, as I was told by a trustworthy person in Jacatra, the Dutch had secret negotiations for an assault on Manila. This is so certain that afterward, while I was in the kingdom of Malaca, visiting the king, a letter came to him from the Dutch. It was written in the Portuguese language, and he caused it to be read in my presence and that of some Castilians and Portuguese who were there. After complaining of the king because he had aided the people of Amboino, the Dutch said in this letter that they had already taken the island of Hermosa from the Castilians; and that in a short time they would drive the latter from Maluco and the Manilas ([their name] for the Filipinas Islands).
