At Manila, on the first day of September, one thousand six hundred
and two, there were present at the royal buildings in the said city
Don Pedro de Acuña, knight of the Order of San Juan, commander of
Salamanca, and president, governor, and captain-general of these
islands; Doctor Antonio de Morga and the licentiate Tellez de
Almacan, auditors of the said Audiencia; the commandant of the camp,
Agustin de Arzeo; Don Juan Ronquillo, commander of the galleys;
the sargento-mayor, Captain Christoval Azcueta; Captain Juan de
Bustamante, adjutant; the quartermaster, Francisco de las Misas;
the treasurer, Ventura de Santillana; Don Bernardo de Sande, warden
of the fort at the Point; Captain Gomez de Machuca, Captain Francisco
de Mercado, Captain Gaspar Perez, and Captain Esteuan de Prado. The
said president announced and declared that by letters received from
the Portuguese viceroy of Yndia and from Andres Hurtado de Mendoça,
and by the report of Captain Antonio de Brito Fogaca, and of Father
Andres Pereyra of the Society of Jesus, who brought the letters, he
had been informed that the said Andres Hurtado had come by order of
his Majesty to get control of the Malucas Islands, which the kings
thereof had usurped, and of other islands after the Hollanders had
gained possession of them. For this purpose he had already proceeded
with a large fleet to Amboyno, where the said Andres Hurtado had
already subdued that island and placed it under obedience to his
Majesty. Thence he had despatched the aforesaid persons to report
to the said royal Audiencia and his Lordship how he had proceeded;
and in what need the fleet was of provisions, ammunition, and other
supplies. He begged with great urgency that they would provide and aid
him with the same, as appeared from the said letters, which were read
before the said assembly. Accordingly the president requested them,
after considering the matter and its nature, together with its great
importance, to state their opinions upon the proper course to pursue
under the circumstances.
_Don Pedro de Acuña_
Before me:
_Antonio de Ordas_
Immediately and directly the said commandant of the camp, commander
of the galleys, and other captains, after discussing and conferring
upon the aforesaid, declared unanimously that their opinion was
in favor of assisting the said Andres Hurtado de Mendoça with
two hundred men, which was the number asked for by word of mouth
by the said Captain Antonio Vrito Fogaca. They agreed to this,
notwithstanding that for this year the expedition to the river of
Mindanao, already agreed upon, must be given up; because after
considering the importance of reënforcing the naval expedition,
and its usefulness in facilitating the said attack on Mindanao and
causing apprehension in other islands, they regarded the aid of the
said fleet as the more important enterprise for the present. They
also decided to send as much assistance in the way of provisions
and ammunition as was possible, and as his Lordship should direct;
and to despatch everything as promptly as the weather would permit,
considering that Terrenate is the principal point for the security of
these islands, and the place where have originated the mischiefs done
by the Mindanaos and Joloans. To this they affixed their signatures.
Assistance Sent by the Governor of the Filipinas to the Maluco Fleet
Sent out from Yndia
Memorandum of provisions and ammunition which by order of Señor
Don Pedro de Acuña, knight of the Order of San Juan, commander of
Salamanca, governor and captain-general of these Philipinas Islands,
and president of the royal Audiencia which sits therein, were sent by
the official judges of the royal exchequer to the islands of Maluco,
in aid of the fleet sent out by the lord viceroy of India, under
Commander Andres Hurtado de Mendoça:
_Rice_. Five thousand fanegas of clean rice, a little more or less,
at three reals a fanega--the price at which it is received in tribute,
although at present the market price here is a peso and a half a
fanega. Total: one thousand eight hundred and seventy-five pesos.
_Meat_. Three hundred young beeves, at six pesos each, including salt
and earthen jars. Total: one thousand eight hundred pesos.
_Wine_. Two hundred jars of wine, at ten reals apiece, including the
jars. Total: two hundred and fifty pesos.
_Nails_. Eight hundred quintals of nails and spikes, at seven pesos
a quintal. Total: five hundred and sixty pesos.
_Gunpowder_. Forty quintals of gunpowder, at two reals and a half a
libra--the price at which it is given to the infantry because of the
small pay they receive, although it costs his Majesty more than four
reals a libra. Total: one thousand two hundred and fifty pesos.
_Cloth_. Three hundred pieces of cloth from Ylocos at four reals and
a half. Total: one hundred and sixty-eight pesos, and four tomins.
_Idem_. Seven hundred varas of Castilian sail-cloth at six reals a
vara. Total: five hundred and twenty-five pesos.
_Needles_. A hundred sail-needles, at a real: twelve pesos and
four tomins.
_Thread_. Three quintals of cotton thread, at eighteen pesos a quintal:
fifty-four pesos.
_Oil_. Thirty jars of oil for galagala, [2] at a peso and a half:
forty-five pesos.
_Infantry_. Two hundred private soldiers, one hundred and sixty-five
being arquebusiers, at six pesos a month; and thirty-five musketeers
at eight pesos; their pay for eight months comes to ten thousand one
hundred and sixty pesos. The pay of the commandant and two captains,
with their officers, for the said eight months comes to two thousand
pesos.
_Seamen_. Twenty-two seamen to go with the ships carrying the
reënforcements receive a hundred and fifty pesos a year, and
rations. Total for the said eight months: two thousand two hundred
pesos. A pilot, whose pay, at six hundred pesos a year, amounts
for eight months to four hundred pesos. A master, whose pay, at
three hundred pesos a year, amounts for eight months to two hundred
pesos. Three gunners in the ship "Santa Potenciana," at two hundred
pesos a year, and rations; for eight months, four hundred and fifty
pesos. Twenty Indian deck-hands, at two pesos a month. Total: three
hundred and twenty pesos.
Grand total: twenty-two thousand two hundred and seventy pesos.
_Francisco de las Missas_
_Jhoan de Bustamante_
_Ventura de St. Tillen_