_Relation of the condition of the Filipinas Islands and other regions
surrounding, in the year 1626._
Although I have been interrupted for several years in doing this,
because of occupations that have allowed me no time for it, and have
neglected to give advice of the condition of these islands, at present
I have not, although my occupations are not fewer than in the past,
attempted to shirk my duty in reporting what has happened this year
in these regions, but briefly and concisely.
Commencing with the Malucas Islands, they are at present in the best
condition that they have experienced, from our standpoint; for the
Dutch enemy are spent, inasmuch as no succor has been sent to them
from Holanda for many years--it appearing that the wars which they
have had there must have hindered them. Consequently, it has been
recognized that, when the war ceases, their ships will come here
in multitudes; and we shall enjoy war, and Flandes peace. The king
of Tidore, who was very aged, and was always our friend, died this
year. One of his sons took his place, and continues the same friendship
[with us]. The Ternatans, who have always been friends of the Dutch
and very hostile to us, made peace with us. That has had a very good
result for us, for we receive more damage from them than from the
Dutch themselves. There have been in this city since the time when the
strongholds of the Malucas were taken--which was twenty years ago,
during the term of Governor Don Pedro de Acuña--certain cachils,
who are chiefs among them, and the same king of Ternate, a great
Moro. The governor sent one of the cachils to Maluco to talk and
confer with his people, especially with Cachil Leali. The latter had,
as it were, usurped the kingdom of Ternate--and, as we understand,
prevented his fellow-countrymen from receiving the king whom we hold
captive here, even if he should return--and continued the war against
us. The matter turned out well, and now the said cachil who went
from here is returning, in the capacity of ambassador of his people,
petitioning that their king be sent to them, whom they promise to
receive as such, and to make and unmake for us. I do not know what
Governor Don Juan Niño de Tabora will do. What I know is, that the
Dutch do not like any of these agreements and friendships that we
are making with the Ternatans; but since they are at present fallen,
and can do no more, they endure it patiently.
The Dutch have no fleets in the Malucas, while there are scarcely two
hundred men in their forts in their islands of Terrenate, Machien, and
Motiel (five or six in number); and many of these are so discontented,
because of the hardships and misery which they suffer, that some six
or eight have come to our camp this year, and many more would have
come if there were a place for them, or if opportunity for it had
offered. That was a fine opportunity to attack them with our fleet,
which was already prepared in the port of Cavite. It is not certainly
known where it is going, but we suspect that it is going to attack the
fort of the Dutch in the island of Hermosa. It is also thought that
the following year will not pass without the fleet attacking them. If
the wars in Flandes continue, and help does not come to the Dutch,
we may hope for a very fine outcome.
The Camucones (who are certain robbers who infest these seas,
pillaging, and are, moreover, a vile people, to whom we have paid but
little attention) came with their fleet of small vessels in the past
year of 1625, and at dawn one morning in October attacked a village,
where the archbishop of Manila was visiting the cura. He as well as
his followers had great trouble in escaping, all without clothes or
nearly so. They captured all his wardrobe and his pontifical robes,
among which he had some very rich garments.
The enemy then attacked a boat in which there was a father of our
Society, who was returning to his house and residence, which is located
on the island of Marinduque, after having preached at some missions
of Franciscan friars who had invited him for that purpose. They spied
the enemy suddenly, in a place where it was impossible to escape,
and it was necessary for them to fight. Father Juan de las Missas
(such was the name of the father) commenced to encourage the Indians
with a crucifix to make them fight. But it happened that a shot
from a verso, fired by the enemy at the first encounter, struck the
father. The enemy immediately entered the boat even while the father
was yet alive and took his skull from his head to use as a drinking
cup--a thing which they are accustomed to do to Spaniards, without
granting life to anyone. After that event, guided by a treacherous
Chinese, they suddenly attacked the chief town of Samar, which is a
very fine village called Catbalogan. They attacked at dawn, and the
father rector and another father and a brother had no little trouble in
escaping; they were scarcely able to remove the monstrance of the most
holy sacrament, and to hide it in a thicket. The Indians also fled,
as far as they were able. Some had not time to do so much, and were
captured. Some were sick with smallpox, a kind of pestilence that was
among the Indians at that time. They were unable to escape, whereupon
the enemy arriving relieved them all of the smallpox by cutting off
their heads. In short, they plundered as much as they could, especially
the silver and ornaments of the church, which were many and excellent,
our residence there being better supplied than our others.
When news was received of the damage inflicted by the enemy, two
Spanish fleets went in pursuit of them--one from the island of Cebu,
and the other from that of Panay. But such was our misfortune that
they were unable to encounter the enemy by any means. Thus did the
latter go away, laughing at the robberies that they had committed
and greedy to make others.
Don Fernando de Silva, who was then governing, because Don Juan Niño
had not yet arrived, despatched a small fleet this year to the lands
of those enemies, to punish them. Their country lies near Borney,
to whose king they are subject. But inasmuch as they have no fixed
house or dwelling, as they generally live in their boats, today here
and tomorrow there, nothing was done. Consequently, Don Juan Niño,
upon his arrival, ordered our fleet prepared in the island of Oton,
so that when that enemy came it might attack them. The enemy came,
and our fleet sailed out; but half of the caracoas were wrecked in
a storm. However, our fleet reforming pursued the enemy, but were
unable to overtake them; for as their boats are light and have two
prows, in order to escape they do not have to turn their boats about,
but only to change the rowers and so return. At least, the result
obtained was that the enemy did no damage this year in these islands,
and did not capture anything.
The island of Mindanao, which is one of these Filipinas Islands,
has rebelled against us; and its chief places have easily accepted
the law of Mahoma, which was brought there from the Malucas by the
Ternatans. They have done us no damage this year. On the contrary,
we have done them considerable. Captain Beñitez has made some very
successful raids in their country, and has killed many and captured
others--who are made slaves, in accordance with the old-time usage of
this country, on account of the damages which we have received from
those enemies. Now the governor has offered to conquer that island,
which is not a very difficult thing to do; but there is always so much
attention to be paid to the Dutch, that he has as yet been unable to
attend to this.
The Dutch enemy, together with the English, went to attack Macan during
former years with seventeen ships. They landed many men on the shore,
but the affair turned out so badly for them that they were forced,
after many men had been killed, to retire and to raise the siege. But
the Portuguese, fearing that the enemy would attempt another year
what they had not been able to accomplish then, set about enclosing
the city with an excellent wall (for it had none before), and sent
Father Geronimo Rodriguez [28] to Manila for some good artillery,
which Don Alonso Fajardo gave him. A master founder also went there
to make many other pieces, which have been founded; and the city
is placed in a very good state of defense. The Portuguese also
asked for a good captain and some infantry for whatever occasion
might arise. Don Alonso Fajardo gave them as many as one hundred
infantrymen, with Don Fernando de Silva, sargento-mayor of the camp
of Manila, and an excellent soldier. They stayed in Macan for some
time, but the Portuguese, seeing that the Dutch enemy did not come,
and that, even if they did come, the city was more than defended;
and inasmuch as they did not get along very well with the Castilians,
since there was considerable quarreling and strife between those of the
two nations, tried to despatch them to Manila. They did so, in a vessel
that carried more than five hundred thousand ducados in merchandise.
The Spanish encountered so grievous a storm on their voyage that they
were forced to put in at Siam, where they unladed their ship; and,
trying to get over the bar of a river in order to relade, they were
wrecked. They bought in place of that ship two others, in order to
go to Manila; but as the season was advanced, and they could not get
away so quickly, they despatched a champan with some eight Spanish
sailors. The latter took some of the merchandise, and came to Manila
to give news of what had happened. At that time there was a Dutch
patache established in the river of Siam, a very beautiful and large
river. That vessel had also entered and traded in that kingdom. It was
rumored among our men that that Dutch patache had captured the champan
that our men were sending to Manila--although such a rumor was untrue,
for the said champan arrived safely at Manila. But induced by that
false report, Don Fernando de Silva, who was stationed some leguas
up the river, having one day observed the Dutch patache attacked
it at night with certain very small craft (I think they were two
small boats or lanchas, for they had not bought larger vessels); and
after fighting with the enemy, with the loss of only one Spaniard,
captured the Dutch patache. It had more than twenty thousand pesos in
silver and merchandise, and the Dutch aboard it were captured. Had
the matter ended there, it would have been a fortunate result. The
king of Siam was informed of it, and sent a message to Don Fernando
de Silva saying that he should set the Dutch at liberty and give
them back their ship and the property which he had taken or captured
from them, since it was captured while the Dutch were in his kingdom,
under his royal favor and protection. Don Fernando de Silva answered
that he would not do so, and broke out in words that might well have
been avoided toward the king. The latter quickly collected a numerous
fleet of boats, and one day attacked our ships with Japanese (who form
the guard of that kingdom) and many Siamese. Our men, fearing what
would happen, were hurriedly embarking their merchandise, in order
to come to Manila. Our men began to serve the artillery, but there
were so many hostile boats that they covered the water. The Spanish
craft ran aground in the confusion and danger, whereupon the Siamese
(and chiefly the Japanese) entered the ships. Don Fernando de Silva,
with sword and buckler in hand, sold his life dearly, and others did
the same. But the enemy killed them except those who fled at the first
stroke of the victory, who remained alive. I think some thirty were
captured. The goods were pillaged, notwithstanding the fact that the
king had ordered that good care be taken of them.
The captured Spaniards were taken to the court of the king, which
is a city more than twice as large as Sevilla. [29] They were led
manacled through the streets, receiving many blows, and regarded as
traitors. That happened in the year 1624. This disastrous event was
learned in Manila by way of Macan, but no attention was given to the
matter on account of the death of Governor Don Alonso Fajardo. In the
year 1625, another Don Fernando de Silva, of the habit of Santiago,
came to act as governor. At that time Father Pedro Morejon [30] arrived
at Manila. He came from Roma by way of Yndia and Camboja (which lies
next Siam), and was informed of that disaster there. Governor Don
Fernando de Silva, seeing that Father Pedro Morejon, as he had been
so long a minister in Japon, had great knowledge of, and access to,
the Japanese, and that those Japanese who live in Siam have a great
part in the government of that kingdom, suggested to the father to
go there as ambassador, to see whether he could get what they had
captured from our Spaniards, which belonged for the most part to the
inhabitants of Manila. The father replied that he could not neglect,
before all else, to go to Macan in order to advise his provincial of
his procuratorship to Roma; but that his Lordship should write to him,
and that he would return at the beginning of the year 1626, which
was the season when one could go to Siam. The governor wrote, and the
father provincial of Macan sent Father Pedro de Morejon for the said
time, besides another Portuguese father, called Antonio Cardin. [31]
They reached here in good time. The governor prepared a vessel with
some Spaniards of good standing, and despatched them all by the month
of January. They reached the kingdom and court of Siam and negotiated
what they were able--namely, that the captives be delivered to them,
as well as the artillery, and a quantity of iron belonging to our
king which the ships were carrying, and which they seized from us,
and some other merchandise. For although the king ordered everything
to be given up, thinking that the goods were safe, as he had ordered,
it was impossible to get them, the soldiers having pillaged them and
divided them among themselves.
Father Pedro de Morejon was given a cordial reception by the king,
who showed him many favors. At his departure the father told the
king that he was leaving Father Cardin in his kingdom, and asked
his Highness to protect him. The king offered to do so, and gave
permission for all who wished to become Christians. Father Cardin
erected his church and commenced his ministry. Father Morejon and the
Spaniards returned to Manila, where they arrived in August of 1626;
and they delivered to Governor Don Juan Niño, who had now arrived,
a present given to them by the king of Siam. Father Morejon, being
summoned by his provincial, went to Macao for the second time, where
he is now. It is now reported that the governor is not satisfied with
what they sent him. Perhaps he will attack Siam with the galleys,
in order to punish that kingdom for its actions toward the Spaniards.
In order to destroy the trade between this city of Manila and Great
China, and between Macan and Japon--the former for us, and the latter
for the Portuguese--the Dutch formed a scheme to build a fort on the
island of Hermosa. That is an island between Japon, China, and Manila,
which extends north and south for more than fifty leguas, while it
is about thirty broad. The Dutch built the said fort some years ago,
and they have been fortifying it ever since; so that they have already
erected four cavaliers, in which they have mounted twenty-four pieces
of artillery--besides others that they have mounted on a platform
which defends the entrance of the port, as those of the fort do not
command it. The Dutch also have a stock-farm, which they began with
cattle and horses brought from Japon. For its defense they built
another large cavalier in which they mounted a half-dozen pieces,
and stationed a few Dutchmen to guard it. They are now at peace with
the natives, with whom they were formerly at war and who killed some
of their men. In this way they have been established for some five
or six years at that point, which they call Pachan. The Chinese have
gone there with a great abundance of silks and other merchandise to
trade. Consequently, they have made on that account a large alcaicería,
where there are generally more than six thousand Chinese. The Japanese
have also gone there from Japon with their ships, although it is
said that they are ill satisfied because of I know not what duties
that the Dutch asked them to pay. From that, notable damage can
ensue to Castilians, Portuguese, and Chinese, since the Dutch are in
the passage by which one goes from here to China, and from Macan to
Japon. If we have not yet seen the damage so plainly with the eyes,
it has been because the enemy are in great lack of ships and men.
In order to counterbalance that scheme and the designs of the Dutch,
Don Fernando formed another scheme. He went to seize another port on
the same island of Hermosa, some twenty leguas distant from China
and thirty from the enemy. For that purpose he sent, in this year
of 1626, two galleys with many small boats, infantry, and all that
was necessary for the settlement, under an experienced captain called
Carreño. They occupied the said port, and it is very good and suitable
for our purpose. As our men entered the port, the whole population,
numbering fully a thousand houses of the natives who were settled
there, fled. Entering the houses, they were enabled to see, by the
articles that they found there, that those people were intelligent and
civilized. Our soldiers took some food, of which they kept account
in order to pay for it--as they ought to do; since I know not what
pretext they could have for showing hostility to the natives, since
they had received no injury from them.
Our soldiers have fortified themselves there excellently. However, at
the beginning, the land tried them, for many died, and they suffered
great wretchedness and hardships--eating even dogs and rats, also
grubs, and unknown herbs, because they soon finished the provisions
which they had brought with them, and others had not arrived from
Manila, as I shall relate later. But afterwards they got along very
well, for many ships came from Great China with many presents and
food. The climate is very fine, and like that of Nueva España. It has
its winter and summer quite temperate, and has many fruits such as
we have in our España--as for instance, pears and peaches, which are
indications that it is as fine a country as is reported. We have also
heard that wheat is harvested. The soldiers found skins of lions and
tigers; and although there were none of those animals, as there are
none in Filipinas, they had no lack of the skins. They sent to summon
the Indians, some of whom came. They won them by means of caresses
and presents, so that they continue to come. They are not driven
from our fort; and they even delivered two infants to us for baptism,
and others are petitioning it. There is great need of learning their
language. They bring some food, which they exchange for jars, gems,
agate, and silver, which they know thoroughly, and whose value they
esteem. They have no headman or chief who governs them, but each
village governs itself, and some villages have war with others.
The joy received in Manila at the news of the island of Hermosa was
exuberant. At that time Don Juan Niño came to govern. He was unable
to send them help at the right season [for sailing]; consequently,
after it had sailed, the ship put back and was detained for more than
four months in a port of this island. It sailed again, and again
took refuge at Macan, whence they tried to make the voyage for the
third time. They had so severe a storm that they lost their rudder,
and reached the coast of China. After great danger and opposition
from the Chinese of that region, they refitted, and finally made our
port in the island of Hermosa, where they arrived April 29, 1627,
and were received with the joy that can be imagined. They left there
the supplies they had brought, and returned to Manila.
The governor sent to Macan to ask for a mestizo, Salvator Diaz,
who was in the fort of the Dutch and who escaped from them. He has
also prohibited vessels from sailing to China which pass near the
establishment of the Dutch on the island of Hermosa. It is inferred
from that that he is thinking of attacking the fort of the Dutch.
The persecution of the missionaries in Japon has daily been assuming
greater fury, and the doors are daily being shut more closely on the
religious. It has been ordered under penalty of death, and of being
burned with their merchandise and ships, that no ship sail from Manila
to Japon. Accordingly, one ship which sailed last year and which they
had not notified of the edict, they notified and ordered to return
immediately to Manila, without allowing anyone to disembark, or to buy
or sell anything--keeping them, on the contrary, shut up on the ship
and guarded. The Japanese made a law that no Japanese could leave or
enter the kingdom unless he first forswore our holy faith, etc.