Fortune was not born to endure. The ancients depicted her without feet upon which to stand, but with wings and hands—without feet, because she never was willing or able to remain in any event, whether fortunate or unfortunate; with wings, that she might fly, like the wind, at her own inconstant will; and with two hands, because if with one she caresses and elevates, with the other she smites and beats down—as far down as she had before upraised. She supports, it is true, with one hand the earth and with the other the sea; but she shows herself, by turns, favorable and adverse to both elements. Now she caresses the earth, and now is harsh and stern to the sea; and when Fortune pleases she crosses her hands, so that no one may trust to her favors or despair at the injuries that she inflicts. This is a fable and an ancient picture, but it also contains a moral, to teach the uncertainty of human affairs.
The [Christian] faith recognizes no Fortune but that of the divine will and providence, from whose hand depends the structure of the globe, and from whom all events, whether prosperous or adverse, proceed. With one hand He dispenses troubles, misfortunes, and calamities to states, to correct and curb their excesses; and with the other (which still remains full, from His natural beneficence) He gives them prosperity and happiness—tempering the sharpness of the one with the sweetness of the other. And if, at times, He seems to be severe to Earth, afflicting her with earthquakes, disasters, and other calamities, it is that she may acknowledge herself subject to His will, and not rely upon her own stability. At the same time, He may be benignant and favorable to the sea, rendering it glorious in events, triumphant in battle, fortunate and renowned in victory.
1. Condition of the Islands
This is properly a picture or hieroglyph of the events in Manila, the chief city and court of the Filipinas Islands, in the course of the years which have elapsed since that of 33, when ashes rained upon and hunger tormented that city; since 38–39, when occurred the losses and wrecks of the vessels which sailed to and from Nueva España, and the insurrection of the Sangleys in Manila and its environs; since 40, when there were eruptions of volcanoes, and thunders were heard in the air, with the sounds of cannon and instruments of war, as at the time was stated; since 41, when the Dutch enemy, having been disengaged from the capture of Malaca (in Eastern India) appeared with a powerful fleet off the cape of Espiritu Santo[3] and the coasts of these islands; since 42, when they seized the island of Hermosa; and since 43–44, when they were continually sending out squadrons of vessels, both large and small—the former going to the Embocadero and Cape Espiritu Santo to await the ships that carried our relief, and the latter stationed on the coasts of Ilocos and Pangasinán to intercept the passage, and pillage the vessels which were wont to come from China to trade with these islands.
2. Battle of the champans
Such was the condition of the islands at the end of June in 44, when Señor Don Diego Faxardo, knight of the Order of Santiago and member of his Majesty’s Council of War, who had been sent as their proprietary governor landed on the extreme point of this island of Manila after a difficult and long voyage, due either to the early beginning of the vendavals, or to having sailed late from Acapulco. He found the islands deficient in naval strength, since the few ships there were had been sent to Terrenate to oppose the threatened invasion of the enemy that year. About the middle of August his Lordship made his entrance into Manila and took possession of the government; and early in September he despatched the galleons “Encarnacion” and “Rosario,”—which were waiting equipped and ready to sail—to Nueva España. At the end of October, reënforcements were sent to Terrenate and other provinces. As early as April, 45, the Dutch enemy had three small round vessels and as many others (or rather champans) off the coasts of Ilocos and Pangasinan for the aforesaid purpose. At that time there was neither a ship nor a galley in Cavite which could be armed to oppose the enemy, and therefore only champans and oared vessels were sent out, under command of Captain Sebastian Lopez (a man whose valor, spirit, and ability will be hereafter related; he had come with the governor as captain of infantry), and of other captains and leaders—all picked officers of this camp, and men so courageous that, although their fleet was so inferior to that of the enemy, they were enabled to frustrate the designs of the Dutch and save the Chinese merchantmen. On two different occasions they engaged the champans of the enemy, three to three, with such valor and good fortune that both times the enemy was ignominiously routed with great loss of men; one of their champans being burnt and the others destroyed, while our losses were but few. This was a happy beginning and augury of the victories and brilliant successes of our arms on the sea, although an expensive and dangerous expedition, as it obliged the enemy, on the following year, to bring all his forces against the islands, as will be hereafter related, at the proper time, when an account is given of the melancholy and disastrous calamities with which it pleased our Lord to visit us on land.