_The generall of the fielde, called Salzedo, doth set
vppon Limahon, he doth burne his fleete, and besiege
his fort three moneths, from whence this rouer dooth
escape with great industrie._
The gouernour vnderstanding by the ilanders, and of those that dwelt in
the citie of Manilla, of the fame that the rouer Limahon did publish
abroad in all places where as he went, howe that he had ouerthrowen and
slaine the Spaniardes; and being of them well considered, that if in
time they did not preuent the same, it might be the occasion of some
great euill, that afterwardes they should not so easely remedie as
presently they might: and those which were their friendes and subiectes
in all those ilandes, giuing credite vnto that which the rouer
declared, might be an occasion that they should rebell against them, by
reason that the naturall people were many and they but a few: for that
vnto that time they had sustained themselues onely by the fame to be
inuincible. With this consideration they entred into counsell, and did
determine to ioyne together all the people they could, and being in good
order, to follow and seeke the rouer, for that they vnderstood of
necessitie he must abide and repayre himself in some place nigh there
aboutes, for that he durst not goe vnto China for feare that he had of
the kings fleete; and fearing that they should vse such policies as hee
hath vsed, they might come on him unwares, and destroy him as he had
done others. And seeming vnto them (that although they could not destroy
him altogether) yet at the least they should be reuenged of the harme
that they had receiued, and thereby to giue to vnderstand that the fame
that he hath giuen out of himselfe was a lie, and should be an occasion
for to remaine in their old securitie, and also had in better estimation
and opinion of the dwellers there abouts, as also to cause great
friendship with the King of China, for that it is against a traytor and
one that hath offended him.
This determination they put in vre and effect according as the time
would permit: in which time they had certaine newes howe that the rouer
was in the river of Pagansinan, and there did pretende to remaine. These
newes were very ioyfull vnto the Spaniardes. Then the gouernours
commanded to be called together all people bordering there abouts, and
to come vnto the citie where as hee was. Likewise at that time he did
giue aduice vnto such as were lordes and gouernours of the ilandes
called Pintados,[4] commanding them to come thither, with such shippes
and people as they could spare, as well Spaniardes as the naturall
people of the countrie. All this was accomplished and done with great
speede; the people of the countrie came thither with great good will,
but in especiall those of the ilandes of the Pintados. After the death
of Martin de Goyti, who was slaine in the first assault of the Chinos as
aforesayde in the citie of Manilla, the governour did ordaine in his
roome for generall of the field, in the name of his maiestie, John de
Salzedo, who with all this people, and with those that were in the
citie, went foorth (leauing the gouvernor no more ayde then that which
was sufficient for the defence of the citie and the fort that they had
new made, which was verie strong), and carried in his company two
hundred and fifty Spanish souldiers, and two thousand five hundred
Indians their friends. All which went with great good will and courage
to be revenged on the iniurie receiued, or to die in the quarrell. All
which people were embarked in small ships and two foygattes[5] that came
from the ilandes there borderers, for that the shortnes of time would
not permit them to prouide bigger shipping, neyther should they haue
found them as they would, for at such time as the inhabitants therabouts
did see the rouer in assalt against the citie, they did set fire on a
small galley and other bigge ships that were in the same port, and did
rise against the Spaniards, beleeuing that it had not been possible for
them to escape so great and mightie a power: although since the first
entrie of the Spaniardes in those ilandes they were verie subiect. The
generall of the fielde with the people aforesaide, did depart from
Manilla the three and twentieth day of March anno 1575, and arrived at
the mouth of the river Pagansinan vpon tenable[6] Wednesday in the
morning next following, without being discouered of any, for that it was
doone with great aduice, as a thing that did import verie much. Then
straightwaies at that instant the generall did put a lande all his
people and foure peeces of artilerie, leauing the mouth of the riuer
shutte vp with his shipping, inchayning the one to the other, in such
sort that none could enter in, neyther yet goe foorth to give anie
aduice vnto the rouer of his ariuall: hee commaunded some to goe and
discouer the fleete of the enimie, and the place whereas hee was
fortified, and charged them verie much to doo it in such secrete sort
that they were not espied, for therein consisted all their whole worke.
The captaines did as they were commanded, and found the rouer voyde of
all care or suspition to receiue there any harme, as he found them in
the citie of Manilla when he did assault them.
[4] More correctly, the Islands of Painted Men. Martinière, in his
"Dictionnaire géographique, historique, et critique," thus speaks of
these Pintados in his article "Philippines":--"Ceux qu'on appelle
Bisayas et Pintados dans la Province de Camerinos, comme aussi à Leyte,
Samar, Panay, et autres lieux, viennent vraisemblablement de Macassar,
où l'on dit quil y a plusieurs peuples qui se peignent le corps comme
ces Pintados."
[5] Misspelt for frigattes.
[6] Ash Wednesday: the Wednesday _to be kept_ holy.
This securitie that hee thought himselfe in did proceede from the newes
that hee had from his friendes at the China, that although they did
prouide to sende against him, yet could they not so quickly haue any
knowledge where hee was, neyther finde out the place of his abiding: and
againe, hee knewe that the Spaniards of the Phillippinas remained
without shippes, for that they had burnt them as you haue heard, and
that they had more need to repayre themselues of their ill intreatie the
yeare past, then to seeke any reuengement of their iniuries receiued.
The generall of the fielde being fully satisfied of his negligence and
voide of care, and giuen to vnderstande of the secretest way that was to
goe vnto the fort whereas the rouer was, he commaunded the captayne
Gabriell de Ribera that straightwayes he should depart by lande, and
that vppon a suddaine, he should strike alarum vpon the enimie, with the
greatest tumult that was possible. Likewise he commanded the captaynes
Pedro de Caues[7] and Lorenso Chacon, that either of them with fortie
souldiers should goe vp the riuer in small shippes and light, and to
measure the time in such sort, that as well those that went by lande, as
those that went by water, should at one instant come vppon the fort, and
to give alarum both together, the better to goe thorough with their
pretence: and he himselfe did remaine with all the rest of the people to
watch occasion and time for to ayde and succour them if neede required.
This their purpose came so well to passe, that both the one and the
other came to good effect: for those that went by water did set fire on
all the fleete of the enemie, and those that went by lande at that
instant had taken and set fire on a trench made of tymber, that Lymahon
had caused to be made for the defence of his people and the fort: and
with that furie they slewe more then one hundreth Chinos, and tooke
prisoners seuentie women which they founde in the same trench; but when
that Lymahon vnderstoode the rumour, he tooke himselfe straightwayes to
his fort, which he had made for to defend himselfe from the kinges
navie, if they should happen to finde him out: and there to saue his
life vpon that extremitie, he commaunded some of his souldiers to goe
foorth and to skirmish with the Spaniardes, who were verie wearie with
the trauaile of all that day, and with the anguish of the great heate,
with the burning of the ships and the trench, which was intollerable,
for that they all burned together.
[7] Chabes in original.
The captaines seeing this, and that their people were out of order,
neither could they bring them into any, for that they were also weary
(although the generall of the field did succour them in time, the which
did profite them much), yet did they sound a retraite, and did withdraw
themselues with the losse of fiue Spaniards and thirtie of the Indians
their friends, and neuer a one more hurt. Then the next day following
the generall of the fielde did bring his souldiers into a square battle,
and began to march towards the fort, with courage to assalt it if
occasion did serve thereunto: he did pitch his campe within two hundreth
paces of the fort, and founde that the enimie did all that night
fortifie himselfe verie well, and in such sort that it was perilous to
assalt him, for that he had placed vpon his fort three peeces of
artilerie, and many bases,[8] besides other ingins of fire worke. Seeing
this, and that his peeces of artilerie that hee brought were very small
for to batter, and little store of munition, for that they had spent all
at the assalt which the rouer did giue them at Manilla, the generall of
the fielde and the captaines concluded amongst themselues, that seeing
the enimie had no ships to escape by water, neither had hee any great
store of victuals, for that all was burnt in the ships, it was the best
and most surest way to besiege the fort, and to remaine there in quiet
vntill that hunger did constraine them either to yeeld or come to some
conclusion, which rather they will then to perish with hunger.
This determination was liked well of them all, although it fell out
cleane contrarie vnto their expectation; for that in the space of three
monethes that siege indured, this Limahon did so much that within the
fort he made certaine small barkes, and trimmed them in the best manner
he coulde, wherewith in one night hee and all his people escaped, as
shall bee tolde you: a thing that seemed impossible, and caused great
admiration amongst the Spaniards, and more for that his departure was
such that he was not discouered, neither by them on the water nor on the
lande. What happened in these three monethes, I doo not here declare,
although some attempts were notable, for that my intent is to declare
what was the occasion that those religious men and their consorts did
enter into the kingdome of China, and to declare of that which they said
they had seene: for the which I haue made relation of the comming of
Limahon, and of all the rest which you haue heard.
[8] In the original Spanish _versete_. A "base" was the smallest piece
of ordnance made.