_Alonso Beltran_, his Majesty's notary
In the chief galley, named "Santiago," while at sea near the island
of Borney, one of the Filipinas islands belonging to his Majesty, on
Sunday, the thirteenth day of the month of April, one thousand five
hundred and seventy-eight, the very illustrious Doctor Francisco de
Sande, governor and captain-general for his Majesty, declared that,
as is well known, his Lordship going with the galleys and ships of
the fleet here amid these islands at this present time--and sailing
with every mark of peace to the port of Borney, and as a token of the
same, with a white flag at the bow of the flagship, in which the said
governor is sailing--it was discovered by the said galley, and by
the _fragata_ [23] sailing in advance of the fleet as a scout-boat,
that the mouth of the river-harbor called Borney was occupied and
blockaded with a great number of vessels. And because it was learned
from other Indians of the said river of Borney that they desired war
instead of peace; and as he did not desire to war upon them, or do
them any damage--to the offense of God, our Lord, or in disobedience
to his Majesty's orders--the said governor ordered the said flagship,
and all the said fleet, to cast anchor, and sent a message by two
Moros of Balayan, his Majesty's vassals in the island of Luçon. These
men were ordered to tell the Borneans, in order that they might know,
that his intentions were peaceful; that, as a token thereof, he was
flying the white flag; and that they should not trouble themselves to
fire any of their artillery upon the Spaniards, for, if the Borneans
did any damage, they would be punished. The said ambassadors took also
two letters, one in the Bornean language, and the other in the Moro
tongue, which they understand. In these letters was affirmed security
of peace, and other matters. And--inasmuch as military affairs cannot
maintain the moderation that may be desired, because of the emergencies
that usually arise--in order that the above might be evident, and
also in anticipation of whatever might happen, the governor ordered
this set down in writing, making therein the present declaration;
that I, the said notary, might certify thereto _in toto_, and file
with these records the original of the said letter, which he ordered
to be written to the said Indians, so that all may be kept together
and serve as evidence of the above matters. Thus Doctor Francisco de
Sande ordered, and he signed it in my presence.
_Alonso Beltran_, his Majesty's notary
On the said day, month, and year, aforesaid, in obedience to the
order of the said governor, the oath was taken and received before
God and the Blessed Mary, and on a sign of the cross, in due form
of law, from Pedro Lucas, a soldier; under which obligation, when
questioned, he declared what he knows, and that present occurrences
are as follows. On this day, Sunday, about four in the afternoon or so,
when the flagship named "Santiago" (wherein were the said governor and
other soldiers and troops) and also the other galleys and war vessels
of his Majesty were sailing toward the port of the said island of
Borney, this witness saw that the said flagship flew a white flag of
peace on the bow of the said flagship. And at the mouth of the said
port he saw a number of ships--in his opinion, some twenty-five or
thirty in all. When the said governor saw the said fleet, and that
war was about to ensue, in order not to have war with them, but that
all might be peace, he ordered the said flagship and also the other
ships and vessels of the said fleet to anchor. They anchored at a
good distance from the said port, in order to give the natives of the
said island to understand that the governor desired not war with them,
but all peace and friendship. This witness saw that the governor gave
two letters to two Moro chiefs of Balayan, vassals of his Majesty,
of the island of Luçon--one letter in the Moro tongue, and the other
in that of Borney. In them he informed the Borneans of his reasons
for coming, and that he desired not war with them, but all peace and
friendship. This witness saw the two Indians leave the said flagship
and embark on a fragata of the said fleet with the said two letters,
in order to deliver them to the Indians in the said war-vessels. The
governor ordered them to return with all haste, with a reply to his
Lordship. This is the extent of his knowledge and what he has seen
this said day. He affirms its truth, by the oath that he took, and
has signed the same. He says that he is thirty years old. Upon this
being read to him, he affirmed and ratified the same.
_Pedro Lucas_
Before me:
_Alonso Beltran_, his Majesty's notary
[Testimony is received also from three others, Juan Manuel Pimentel,
Juan Ochoa, and Gaspar Perez. That of the first is similar to the
above. That of the last contains the information that the two Moros
sent with the letters "as yet have not returned nor sent a reply,
except that we see that the said fleet of the Borneans still holds
the mouth of the said port, and his Majesty's fleet is anchored in
the open sea and in great peril; and this witness has heard some
heavy shots fired by the Borneans at his Majesty's fleet. It is
well known, and this witness has heard the Borneans say, that the
king of Borneo and his people are about to war upon the Spaniards,
both by sea and by land." A portion of the interpreter Juan Ochoa's
testimony is as follows. "This witness saw at the mouth of the said
port a number of Bornean warships, in his judgment numbering some
twenty or twenty-five. When these were seen by the said governor and
by the fragata of the said fleet, the said governor ordered the said
flagship and all the other galleys and ships to anchor, which they did,
anchoring in the open sea, without any shelter. This witness saw that
the flagship was flying a white flag of peace, so that the natives
of the island might understand that the Spaniards desired not war,
but all peace. And on this same day, this witness heard from Bornean
Moros captured in a small boat on that day while on their way from the
said river of Borney to their villages, that the said king of Borney
had heard that the said fleet of his Majesty was going to Borney;
and in order to defend himself and fight with them, he had gathered as
large a fleet as possible, and for the purpose of war had come to the
island of Mohala (distant about one league from the port of Borney),
where his Majesty's fleet was about to anchor and take in water. The
said Bornean Moros told this witness, as being the interpreter,
that they had been captured on the said day, in the said boat."]