ANNO DOM. 1565.
Of the complete Conquest of the Island of Zebu, and of some Towns
in other Islands.
The day following that, on which the Capitana sailed, a Moor of Borneo,
called Cid Hamal, established in this island, arrived in our camp. He
recommended it to the General, to invite Tupas to a conference;
and upon this being done, he accordingly presented himself a second
time, with some of the chief men of the island, and the conference
terminated, in their resolution to preserve a good understanding with
the Spaniards. They paid homage to the king of Spain, promising, that
the squadron should be supplied with provisions, at the price usual
among themselves, and granting land, and every means of founding a
Spanish city, with fortifications for its defence. Amity thus restored,
the Indians began to re-build their town, and a very short time,
exhibited the pleasing sight, of the individuals of two different
nations, establishing themselves at a little distance from each other.
The Zebuans lost all apprehensions of the Spaniards, and came to
their town to sell fruit, goats, and provisions. Among the least
reserved was Tupas, who, under the pretext of accompanying other
chiefs, visited the General, making him presents; and so contrived
that his women should visit him likewise, dressing themselves in rich
clothes, with ear-rings and bracelets of gold on the feet and arms,
and accompanied by a great concourse of men and women; which visit was
not ill received, the General always treating them handsomely. Tupas
likewise, gave Legaspi his niece, who was a widow, and other women to
attend him. The General directed them to be instructed in the Christian
doctrine, and they embraced our religion, and were baptized. The
niece of Tupas, had the name of Isabel given her, in memory of the
deceased lady of the General, whose name this was, and in a little
time she was married to Maestre Andrea, an officer of the squadron.
The provisions which they had in the island of Zebu, were not
sufficient for the Indians and their numerous guests; in consequence
of which, Legaspi directed Tupas, to send two chiefs to the island
of Panay, to purchase rice. Whilst these men were on their mission,
the Spaniards sailed, in vessels which they had constructed at Zebu,
on an expedition against some towns, belonging to the enemies of the
Zebuans, and were enabled to send some rice to those in the camp. The
Moors likewise of the island of Lucon, who came for commercial purposes
to Zebu, sold them two hundred baskets of this grain; but as the
return of the two ships which had gone to Panay, was still delayed
beyond the expected time, Legaspi was compelled to put every man
on an allowance, which produced great discontent among the people,
and some even adopted the resolution of escaping with the patache
San Juan, with the intention of lying in wait behind the islands,
to rob the small barks that came there for commerce, and with their
spoils to retire to France. The authors of this conspiracy were Pablo
Hernandez and Juan Maria Venecianos; and they were joined in it by
the pilot Francis Pierres Plin, Jorge el Griego, Maestre Andrea, the
husband of Tupas's niece, Geronimo Foxa, and some foreigners. They
fixed on the 26th of November, 1565, for their undertaking, intending
previously to endeavour to disable all the ships, in order that they
might not be pursued. It pleased Heaven to retard their scheme one
day beyond the time fixed, and Juan Maria Venecianos repenting of his
treason, discovered the conspiracy to Colonel Matheo del Sauz. The
conspirators were immediately all apprehended, except Pablo Hernandez,
who escaped into the country among the Indians. The whole underwent
an examination, and Legaspi ordered that Francis Pierres Plin,
and Jorge el Griego, should be hanged by break of day. It was his
intention to have followed up the punishment of the conspirators,
and he was proceeding to hang Maestre Andrea. The clergy, however,
entreated him to pardon him, on account of his near relationship
to Tupas, to which he assented. Pablo Hernandez, pressed by hunger,
was compelled to deliver himself up, and as he was the ringleader,
he was executed in the middle of the day by proclamation, and his head
placed on a pole, as a warning to others. A pardon was granted to all
the rest in the name of the King, and by this due mixture of severity
and lenity, the minds of the General and the friars were tranquillized.
Famine, at this time, was likely to be the lot of the Spaniards,
as the chiefs who had been sent to Panay had not appeared; and as
six more paraos had been despatched for the same purpose, it was
apprehended that they had entered into a combination with the first,
to reduce the Spaniards by famine. In this situation, Captain Martin
de Goite set sail, with the intention of taking by force, from the
enemies of the Zebuans, as much provision as could be procured, and
executed his plan with so much success, that by Christmas he sent
to the camp a small vessel laden with borona (bread made of Indian
corn and millet). This proved the most acceptable new year's gift,
which could have been offered under their circumstances; by degrees
provisions became more plentiful, and the people began to revive,
and forget the famine they had endured. The chiefs now made their
appearance from Panay with the rice, but they assigned little of it
to the Spaniards, and the largest quantity to the Indians.
The General was well aware of the treachery of the Zebuans, of the
little faith to be placed in them, and their doubtful intentions;
but he dissembled his sentiments, as they were necessary to his
views, and our camp was tolerably well supplied. By the expeditions,
which Martin de Goite and others made round the adjacent islands,
it was discovered that some of the towns courted the friendship of
the Spaniards, while others planned their destruction by famine, for
which purpose all the provisions were conveyed to the mountains. The
Moors of Luzon, however, found it their interest to bring sufficient
rice to Zebu, and Legaspi, who did not wish to see a recurrence
of the same danger as had happened, sent the Colonel in search
of provisions to the neighbouring islands; but here he encountered
another inconvenience, in leaving too small a force for the defence of
Zebu; the consequence of which was, that a plot was formed to seize a
vessel belonging to the Moors of Luzon, at that time trading at Zebu,
to murder all on board, and escape with the vessel to the Moluccas,
where the Portuguese would willingly receive them. Juan Nunes de
Carrion, and Miguel Gomez Cavecillas, were executed for this piece
of treason, after due repentance of their villainy. Captain Martin de
Goite, with the provisions he forwarded, at length sent information,
that many nations were desirous of becoming vassals of the King of
Spain, and the Colonel soon after arrived with above one thousand
fanegas of rice, after having stopt at the islands of Mindanao,
Negros, and Panay, where he ransomed a Mexican Indian, who had been
in the squadron of Villalobos, and had been taken prisoner. Captain
Juan de la Jela, who had likewise gone out in search of provisions,
had the good fortune to discover the ship San Geronimo, which he
conducted to Zebu; a circumstance which filled every one with joy,
mingled with regret, at the thoughts of the tragic scenes which had
been acted on board that ship.
The Royal Audience of Mexico had despatched the ship San Geronimo from
Acapulco to relieve those at Zebu, and to advertise them of the arrival
of the Capitana at that port. They sent as captain of the ship Pedro
Sanchez Pericon; as second in command, Juan Ortez de Mosquera, and as
pilot the mulatto Lope Martin, who was sent for the express purpose
of being punished by Legaspi, for having separated, intentionally,
from the squadron in the patache San Lucas. Pericon and Mosquera had
been, before the commencement of the voyage, inimical to each other,
and in its progress their mutual antipathy was augmented. The pilot,
Martin, dreading the idea of being confronted with Legaspi, entered
into a plot with Mosquera, and they gained over to their party most
of the crew, among whom was Philip de Ocampo, a brave man, but of the
worst character. Thinking their strength sufficient, they commenced
their operations by being insolent to the commander, and one night
they killed a horse which he had brought in the galleon. The friends
of Pericon conjured him to be on his guard, as they concluded that
those who had begun by killing the horse, would end in murdering him,
if he was not sufficiently vigilant. But Pericon's confidence was too
great, and he slighted the advice of his friends. The conspirators by
this forbearance increasing every day in boldness, at last resolved to
put in practice their diabolical design of murdering the commander, and
getting possession of the vessel; accordingly one night, after having
placed guards on those of the crew whom they could not confide in,
Mosquera entered the captain's bedroom, accompanied by two seamen,
one of the name of Bartolome de Lara, and the other Morales, and
ordered them to stab Captain Pericon and his son, a young man about
twenty-five years of age, who had a sub-command in the ship. They
effected their purpose, and threw the bodies overboard; and placing
some chests on the deck for the accommodation of the people, Mosquera
thus harangued them: "Gentlemen, let us recommend to Heaven the souls
of Captain Pericon and his son; they came by their death for reasons
which, when we arrive at Zebu, shall be given to General Legaspi;
every thing shall remain unaltered, and I, as a good subject of his
Majesty, will conduct the ship to that island."
Many days had not elapsed before Mosquera and the pilot quarrelled;
it was a difficult task for the latter to reconcile himself to his
situation, and put on the mask of friendship to the former. He
whispered to Mosquera in confidence, that the people were much
irritated at the murders which had been committed, and among other
things, he proposed to tranquillize them, by putting in irons some
person who had been concerned in the affair, and afterwards to
discharge him, under the authority of a notarial process, drawn up
for that purpose, declaring his innocence. This appearing a plausible
measure enough, Mosquera, with this view, foolishly convened the ship's
company, and the pilot seized upon him, and put him in confinement. The
day following he ordered breakfast, of which Mosquera partook in
his irons, and when finished, he requested the pilot would set
him at liberty, as there had been time sufficient allowed for the
ceremony. The views of the mulatto, however, were very different;
he ordered him to be hung at the yard-arm, without giving him time
to confess, observing, that Divine Providence had ordered he should
die without partaking the sacrament, as had been the case with the
two whom he had murdered. The mulatto now remaining captain of the
ship, Philip de Ocampo, who was his favourite, made a speech to his
companions, telling them, "That Captain Lope Martin did not intend
going to Zebu; that those who were desirous of accompanying him,
should go to a part of the world where all might acquire great
riches, but that those who were of a different opinion, should be
set on shore on an island in the immediate neighbourhood of Zebu,
from whence they might easily reach Legaspi." All were silent, and
nothing was done till they arrived at the islands of Barbudos; when
Lope Martin landing on one which was desolate, gave out that it was
necessary to careen the ship there, but his real intention was to
leave most of his companions on this island, exposed to famine.
He was not, however, able sufficiently to conceal his intentions. The
Friar Capellan, a venerable priest, suspected him, and consulted
with Juan de Vivero on some means of averting this blow. Rodrigo de
Angle, the mate of the ship, a man of approved courage, determined
to appeal to his Majesty, if it cost him his life, broke the matter
to others, and eventually drew to his party Bartholome de Lara,
by promising to make him captain of the ship, although he had no
such intention. Rodrigo finding he had gained most of the crew on
board to his side, weighed anchor, and hallooed to those on shore,
that all the true and faithful vassals of his Majesty might embark
immediately, and that the ship belonged to the King. By this means
all were received on board but Lope Martin and Philip de Ocampo,
and about twenty-five others, among whom were some loyalists, who
were unable to reach the ship in time.
Bartholome de Lara, disappointed in his expectations of being made
captain of the ship, began to form a party, and was joined more from
necessity than otherwise by Hernando de Morales, his accomplice in
the murder of Pericon and his son; but the new captain contrived
means to try and hang them, after which the crew remained free from
further molestation, and they arrived at Zebu. The General Legaspi, to
deter others, hanged the notary Juan de Zaldivar, for being accessory
to the aforesaid murder. He rewarded Rodrigo del Angle, Garnica,
and Juan Enriquez, with all the loyalists, and granted a pardon,
in the name of the King, to all those who had acted any subordinate
part in this transaction.
The Colonel, at this time, had gone to ratify a treaty of peace
with some of the towns, and falling in with a small Portuguese
galleon of superior force, which bore down upon his patache, he
was compelled to escape as well as he could. About the same time,
two Portuguese vessels having appeared off Zebu, Legaspi ordered
them to be acknowledged as friends, and invited into the harbour,
but they excused themselves, and prosecuted their route. These proved
afterwards to be ships belonging to the squadron of Pereyra, which
was coming against the Spaniards, but being dispersed by storms,
they could not pursue their first intentions. The General fortified
his camp, and entertaining no fears of the Portuguese, he despatched
Martin de Goite on an amicable treaty with some adjacent towns,
and to receive the tribute of those who had already submitted. He
likewise sent the Colonel to Mindanao, for the purchase of cinnamon,
to be shipped to New Spain. This expedition was unfortunate in the
death of this great man, who was a severe loss to the Spaniards. He
caught a fever, and being in great danger, he told Morones, his second
in command, and to whom he entrusted the ship before he died, that he
suspected an intention of mutiny among the crew; the object of which
was, to go off with the patache, because they had not been allowed to
purchase cinnamon for themselves, and which being the only valuable
object for which the voyage was undertaken, belonged to the King, as
being the first purchase made of that article. Legaspi paid him the
usual funeral honours in Zebu, and punished those who were found to
be concerned in this mutiny. He likewise named as his successor Martin
de Goite. The General sent Morones to Caraga, and Pedro de Herrera to
Leyte, for tar, for careening the ships. The Indians of this island are
excellent porters and labourers, and our soldiers had such confidence
in them, that leaving their arms, and relying on their friendship, they
received the tar in an unguarded manner. This, however, in the end,
cost them dear, as on a sudden they found themselves surrounded in an
ambuscade, by eight or ten Indians to one Spaniard; and Matheo Sanchez
Gaditano not being able to extricate them, the Indians murdered all but
one Spaniard, who escaped to relate the news of this tragedy. Whilst
this was passing up the country, others came down to plunder the ship,
who finding our people in unsuspecting security, possessed themselves
of their arms, and destroyed every thing they could not take away.
On the 10th of June, 1567, there arrived at Zebu two Portuguese
caracoas, with letters from Captain Pereyra to Miguel Lopez de Legaspi,
in which he observed, that he supposed they were the Spaniards who had
taken refuge in Zebu, in consequence of bad weather, and were unable
to return to New Spain, as had happened to those of the other Spanish
squadrons which had navigated those seas; and on this supposition he
invited them to the Moluccas, where he promised to receive them with
every degree of friendship, and furnish them with proper necessaries
to prosecute their voyage.
Such were the contents of his letter on the occasion, but some invalid
Spaniards who came with the messenger, affirmed that Pereyra had
been despatched by the Viceroy of India to drive the Spaniards out
of Zebu, and not being able last year to effect it, in consequence
of the storms they had encountered, they had remained in Tidore with
the intention of completing it this year. Our General, aware of the
snare which Pereyra was laying for him, answered this specious letter
with corresponding dissimulation, and that he had given notice to his
court of the capture of these islands, and was in daily expectation
of hearing from his sovereign. Surrounded by these interruptions and
difficulties, the General sent to Acapulco the patache San Lucas,
Captain Juan de la Isla, requesting such assistance as might prevent
the threatened suspension of their intercourse with New Spain, and
which appeared highly probable. The Augustine friars sent, on this
occasion, Friar Pedro de Gamboa to solicit some additional aid for the
conversion of these infidels, who had already begun to be baptized,
and which, they urged, would securely establish the authority of the
Spaniards in the Philippines, but the friar never arrived, having
died on the voyage.
On the 20th of August, this year, Philip de Salcedo arrived with two
ships, and accompanied by his brother Juan de Salcedo, who had been
of great use in the first conquest of these islands. The General was
rejoiced at the arrival of such considerable relief, at a period when
he had reason to think Pereyra intended to attack Zebu. When Legaspi
saw, however, that the Portuguese did not make their appearance as he
expected, he despatched his grandson, Philip de Salcedo, to Acapulco,
with directions to go by the route of the Ladrone Islands, where he
was shipwrecked; but, all the people being saved, he built another
vessel, and returned to Zebu in such happy time, that he made up
for his disappointment, by the importance of his appearance, at the
period of Pereyra's arrival, on the 30th of September 1568, with a
squadron of three galleons, two galeots, three fustas, and twenty
smaller vessels. Every thing, however, on this occasion, indicated
perfect amity; the Generals visited reciprocally, and held meetings,
to ascertain whether these islands were in the line of demarcation of
Spain, or not, with the view of avoiding hostilities. Pereyra, by an
artful line of conduct, protracted these discussions, in order to gain
time, if possible, by stratagem, to get possession of the port and of
our camp, as he found it could not be effected by force. Disappointed,
however, in his views, he returned on Christmas-eve to the Moluccas,
having been dismissed with great civility by Legaspi.