_A rouer of this kingdome of China called Limahon,
doth make himselfe strong at the sea, and doth
ouercome an other rouer of the same countrie called
Vintoquiam._
[Sidenote: Where Limahon was borne.]
The Spaniards did enioy their new habitation of Manilla in great
quietnesse, voide of all care of any accident that might disquiet them,
or any strange treasons of enimies for to offend them; for that those
Ilandes were in great quietnes, and in obedience vnto the Christian king
Don Phillip, and in continuall traficke with the Chinos, which seemed
vnto them a sufficient securitie for the continuance of the quietnesse
they liued in. And againe, for that they vnderstoode that they had a law
amongst them (as hath bin told you in this historie), y^t it was
forbidden to make any wars out of their owne countrie. But being in this
security and quietnes, vnlooked for, they were beset with a mightie and
great armada or fleete of ships, by the rouer Limahon, of whose vocation
there are continually on y^t coast, the one by reason y^t the country is
full of people, wheras of necessitie must be many idle persons; and the
other and principall occasion, by reason of the great tyranny y^t the
gouernors doo vse vnto the subjects. This Limahon came vpon them with
intent to do them harme, as you shal vnderstand. This rouer was borne in
the citie of Trucheo, in the prouince of Cuytan, which the Portingals do
call Catin. He was of mean parentage, and brought vp in his youth in
liberty and vice: hee was by nature warlike and euill inclined. He would
learne no occupation, but all giuen to robbe in the high waies, and
became so expert that many came vnto him and followed that trade. He
made himself captain ouer them which were more then two thousand, and
were so strong y^t they were feared in all that prouince where as they
were. This being knowen vnto the king and to his councell, they did
straight way command the viceroy of the prouince where as the rouer was,
that with all the haste possible he should gather together all the
garrisons of his frontyers, to apprehende and take him, and if it were
possible to carrye him aliue vnto the citie of Taybin, if not his head.
The viceroy incontinent did gather together people necessarie and in
great haste to followe him.
[Sidenote: One rouer robbed another.]
The which being knowen vnto Limahon the rouer, who saw that, with the
people he had, he was not able to make resistance against so great a
number as they were, and the eminent danger that was therein, he called
together his companies, and went from thence vnto a port of the sea,
that was a few leagues from that place; and did it so quickly and in
such secret, that before the people that dwelt therein could make any
defence (for that they were not accustomed to any such assaultes, but
liued in great quietnesse), they were lordes of the port and of all such
ships as were there: into the which they imbarked themselues
straightwaies, wayed anker and departed to the sea, whereas they thought
to bee in more securitie than on the lande (as it was true). Then hee
seeing himselfe lorde of all those seas, beganne to robbe and spoyle all
shippes that he could take, as well strangers as of the naturall people:
by which meanes, in a small time, hee was prouided of mariners and other
things which before hee lacked, requisite for that new occupation. He
sacked, robbed, and spoyled all the townes that were vpon the coast, and
did verie much harme. So he finding himselfe verie strong with fortie
shippes well armed, of those he had out of the port, and other that he
had taken at the sea, with much people such as were without shame, their
handes imbrued with robberie and killing of men, hee imagined with
himselfe to attempt greater matters, and did put it in execution: he
assaulted great townes, and did a thousand cruelties: in such sort, that
on all that coast whereas hee was knowen, he was much feared, yea and in
other places farther off, his fame was so published abroad. So he
following this trade and exercise, he chanced to meete with an other
rouer as himselfe, called Vintoquian, likewise naturally borne in China,
who was in a port voide of any care or mistrust, whereas Limahon finding
opportunitie, with greater courage did fight with the shippes of the
other: and although they were threescore ships great and small, and good
souldiers therein, hee did ouercome them, and tooke fiue and fiftie of
their ships. So that Vintoquian escaped with five ships. Then Limahon,
seeing himselfe with a fleete of nintie fiue shippes well armed, and
with many stout people in them, knowing that if they were taken, they
should be all executed to death: they therefore setting all feare a
part, gaue themselues to attempt new inuentions of euill, not onely in
robbing of great cities, but also in destroying of them.