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History of the Philippine Islands Vols 1 and 2

A >> Antonio de Morga >> History of the Philippine Islands Vols 1 and 2




THE KING OF TIDORE

The bearer, namely, Marcos Dias, will give your Grace a flagon and a
little flask of Moorish brass workmanship. I send them in order that
your Grace may remember this your friend. [147]

Marcos Dias returned to Tidore at the first monsoon, in the beginning
of the year six hundred and two, bearing an answer to his message,
and taking the reënforcements that had been asked, of provisions,
ammunition, and a few soldiers. He was satisfied therewith, until a
fitting opportunity should offer for making the desired expedition
from Manila.



Of the government of Don Pedro de Acuña, governor and president
of the Filipinas, and of what happened during his administration,
until his death in June of the year six hundred and six, after his
return to Manila from Maluco, where he had completed the conquest of
the islands subject to the king of Terrenate.

CHAPTER SEVENTH

In the month of May of six hundred and two, four ships came to Manila
from Nueva España, with a new governor and president of the Audiencia,
named Don Pedro de Acuña, knight of the Order of St. John, comendador
of Salamanca, and lately governor of Cartagena in Tierra Firme. He was
received into the government to the great satisfaction of the whole
country, on account of the need there of one who would be as skilled
in matters of war as watchful and careful in the government. Don
Francisco Tello, his predecessor, awaiting his residencia which
was to be taken, had to remain in Manila until the following year,
six hundred and three, and in the month of April he died of an acute
illness. The new governor, upon seeing things in so great need of
stability, and so limited resources in the royal treasury for the
purpose, found that his lot was not so good as he had imagined when
he had been appointed; since the state of affairs obliged him to risk
a part of his reputation without his being able to remedy matters
as quickly as was to be desired. He took heart as much as possible,
however, and without sparing himself any personal labor in whatever
presented itself, he began with what was to be done in Manila and
its environs. He began to construct galleys and other vessels in
the shipyard, for there was great need of these, in order to defend
the sea, which was full of enemies and pirates from other islands,
especially from Mindanao. He discussed going immediately in person
to visit the provinces of Pintados, in order to supply more quickly
the needs of that region, which was causing the greatest anxiety. But
he had to postpone that several months to arrange for the despatch of
Japon and Jolo matters, and for the ships which were to make the voyage
to Nueva España, all of which came at once and had to be seen to.

Chiquiro, the Japanese, having arrived in Manila, delivered his
message and present to Governor Don Pedro de Acuña, who had been in
the government but a few days. The matter and its determination,
together with the reply, were immediately considered. It required
the greatest amount of thought to decide how this was to be made,
in the most fitting manner possible. For, although friendship with
Daifusama was held to be a good thing and of great profit, and a
necessity to obtain and conclude, even should certain difficulties
have to be overcome; and although the sailing to Quanto and its
commerce were not of much account to the Spaniards; nevertheless
those things would be fulfilled by sending a ship there with some
goods for exchange. But the rest, namely, the trade and friendship
with Nueva España, and the sending of masters and workmen to build
ships in Japon for that navigation, which Daifu insisted upon, and
which Fray Geronymo had assured him would be done, was a serious
matter and impossible to be carried out, as it was very harmful
and prejudicial to the Filipinas. For their greatest security from
Japon had ever been the Japanese lack of ships and their ignorance
of navigation. As often as the latter had intended to attack Manila,
they had been prevented by this obstacle. Now to send the Japanese
workmen and masters to make Spanish ships for them and show them how
such vessels were made, would be to give them the weapons that they
needed for their own [i.e., the Filipinas'] destruction, while their
navigation to Nueva España, and making long voyages, would cause very
great troubles. [148] Each matter singly was of great importance and
consideration, and such that the governor could not decide them, and
they could not be decided in Manila, without informing his Majesty
and the latter's viceroy of Nueva España, who was so much concerned,
thereof. In order to take measures in the matter, and not to delay the
Japanese from returning with his reply, a moderate present of Spanish
articles was sent to Daifu, in the same ship which had come, in return
for what it had brought. These Fray Geronymo was to give Daifu in
person. The former was written to tell Daifu with what pleasure the
governor received the good-will that he manifested to him, and the
peace and friendship with the Spaniards, and all the other things that
he was doing for them; and that he, the governor, would keep it and
observe it in so far as he was concerned, and that very year he would
send a Spanish ship to trade at Quanto according to Daifu's desire,
and that he would despatch it quickly. As to the navigation which
the latter wished to undertake to Nueva España and his desire to have
masters sent him for that purpose, to build ships for that voyage, that
was a matter which--although the governor would do his best to effect,
and to please him in everything--was not within his control, without
first informing his Majesty and the latter's viceroy in Nueva España
thereof; for he, the governor, had no power or authority outside of
the affairs of his government of the Filipinas. He said that he would
write and would treat of it immediately, and hoped that it would be
properly settled there. Until the reply came from España, which would
necessarily have to be delayed three years, because that country was
so far, he begged Daifu to be patient and suffer it, since it was not
in his control, and nothing else could be done. The governor wrote
Fray Geronymo to humor Daifu in everything, with the best words he
could use to please him, but not to embarrass himself thenceforward by
promising him and expediting such things for him. With this despatch,
Chiquiro sailed for Japon with his ship, but was so unfortunate
on the voyage that he was wrecked off the head of Hermosa Island,
and neither the vessel nor its crew escaped. News thereof was not
received in Manila or in Japon until many days afterward.

Upon the arrival of the letters from Fray Geronymo de Jesus, and the
news of the changed conditions which he wrote existed in Japon, and the
permission which he said that Daifu had given him to make Christians
and build churches, not only the discalced religious of St. Francis
but those of the other orders of St. Dominic and St. Augustine, set
about going to Japon without loss of time; and, in order to be taken,
each one made use of the Japanese ships and captains which were then
at Manila, having come with flour, and which were about to return. In
particular, the Order of St. Dominic sent to the kingdom of Zazuma
four religious, under Fray Francisco de Morales, [149] Prior of Manila,
in a ship about to go to that island and province. They said that they
had been summoned by its king, the only one who had not yet rendered
homage to Daifusama. The Order of St. Augustine sent two religious to
the kingdom of Firando in a ship which had come from that port, under
Fray Diego de Guebara, [150] Prior of Manila, because they had heard
that they would be well received by the king of that province. The
Order of St. Francis, in the ships about to sail to Nangasaqui,
sent Fray Augustin Rodrigues, [151] who had been in Japon before,
in company with the martyrs, and a lay-brother, with orders to go to
Miaco, to become associates of Fray Geronymo de Jesus. Although some
difficulties presented themselves to the governor in regard to the
departure of these religious from Manila, and their going to Japon
so hastily, yet on account of the great pressure which they brought
to bear upon him, these were not sufficient to cause him to refuse
them the permission which they requested. The religious reached the
provinces to which they were going and were received there, although
more coolly than they had expected, and with fewer conveniences than
they needed for their support, and less inclination than they desired
for the matters of the conversion, in which they had imagined that
they were to have great and immediate results, for very few of the
Japanese became Christians. In fact, the kings and tonos of those
provinces kept them in order, by means of them, to open intercourse
and commerce in their lands with the Spaniards--which they desired
for their own interests rather than for the religion, to which they
were not inclined.

The governor, Don Pedro de Acuña, in fulfilment of his letter,
namely, that he would send a ship to Quanto, prepared and then sent
out a medium-sized ship, named "Santiago el Menor" [i.e., St. James
the Less], with a captain and the necessary seamen and officers, and
some goods consisting of red wood, [152] deerskins, raw silk [153]
and other things. This ship set out with orders to go to Quanto,
where it would find discalced Franciscan religious and there to sell
its goods and return with the exchange--and with the permission of
Daifusama--to Manila. Thus Japanese matters were provided for, as
far as seemed necessary, according to the state of affairs.

Daifusama, sovereign of Japon, who was awaiting Chiquiro, his servant,
whom he had sent to Manila with the letters from Fray Geronymo de
Jesus, pressed the latter so closely concerning the things which he
desired and about which he had treated with him, that Fray Geronymo,
seeing that Chiquiro was slow in returning, and that few arguments
were of avail with Daifu, in order to satisfy him the better,
requested permission of him to go to Manila in person, there to
communicate and conclude matters with the governor by word of mouth,
and bring a reply to him. He said that he would leave at the court Fray
Augustin Rodriguez and another companion, who had lately come to him,
as hostages for his return. The king granted the permission and gave
him provision, so that Fray Geronymo came quickly to Manila, where
he learned of the message which Chiquiro had taken. Then he began to
treat with Governor Don Pedro de Acuña, about his business, saying
that Chiquiro had not yet arrived in Xapon, which gave rise to the
suspicion that he had been wrecked. The ship sent by the governor being
unable to double the head of Xapon in order to pass to the north side,
put into the port of Firando, where the religious of St. Augustine
had had a station for a short time, and anchored there. Thence the
captain advised the court of Miaco that he had been unable to reach
Quanto. He sent also the letters for the religious and what was to
be given to Daifu. The religious, Fray Geronymo's associates, gave
Daifu the presents which were for him, and told him that the governor
was sending that ship at his disposition and command, but that the
weather had not allowed it to reach Quanto. Daifusama received the
presents, although he did not believe what they told him, but that
they were compliments to please him. He ordered the ship to get its
trading done immediately, and to return with some things which he gave
them for the governor, and thenceforward to go to Quanto as promised
him. Thereupon it returned to Manila.

Fray Geronymo de Jesus reached the Filipinas so quickly, as has
been said, that he had opportunity to treat with Governor Don Pedro
de Acuña, about the matters under his charge, from whom he received
the promise that ships would continue to be sent to Quanto to please
Daifusama. Taking with him a good present, given him by the governor,
consisting of a very rich and large Venetian mirror, glass, clothes
from Castilla, honey, several tibores, [154] and other things which it
was known would please Daifu, he returned immediately to Japon. He was
well received there by Daifu, to whom he communicated his message, and
that his servant Chiquiro had been well sent off by the new governor,
and that nothing less than shipwreck was possible, since he had not
appeared in so long a time. He gave Daifu what he had brought, which
pleased the latter greatly.

During the first days of the governor's administration he found in
the shipyard of Cabit two large ships which were being finished to
make their voyage that year to Nueva España. One of them, belonging
to Don Luys Dasmariñas, by an agreement which the latter had made
with the governor's predecessor, Don Francisco Tello, was to go with a
cargo of merchandise. The other, called the "Espiritu Santo," built by
Joan Tello de Aguirre and other residents of Manila, was to make the
voyage with the merchandise of that year credited to the builders,
but was to pass into possession of his Majesty on its arrival in
Nueva España, according to an agreement and contract made with the
same governor, Don Francisco Tello. Don Pedro de Acuña made so great
haste in despatching both ships that, with the cargo which they were
to carry, he sent them out of port at the beginning of July of the
aforesaid year six hundred and two, with Don Lope de Ulloa in the
"Espiritu Santo" as general, and Don Pedro Flores in charge of the
"Jesus Maria." Both ships went on their way, and in thirty-eight
degrees met such storms that they were many times on the point of being
wrecked, and threw overboard a quantity of their merchandise. The ship
"Jesus Maria" put back into Manila with difficulty after having been
more than forty days in the island of the Ladrones, whence it was
unable to depart. During this time they had opportunity to pick up
all the surviving Spaniards from among those left by the ship "Santa
Margarita," among them, Fray Joan Pobre, who had jumped into one
of the boats of the natives from the galleon "Santo Tomas," when it
passed that way the year before. Five other Spaniards were in other
islands of the same Ladrones, but although every effort was made to
bring them, they could not come. The natives brought Fray Joan Pobre
and the others to the ship in their own boats, with great friendship
and good will. After they had been entertained on board the ship, which
they entered without fear, and after iron and other presents had been
given to them, they returned without the Spaniards, weeping and showing
great sorrow. The ship "Espiritu Santo," with the same difficulty,
put into Japon, as it could do nothing else, with its mainmast gone,
and entered a port of Firando, twenty leguas from a station of the
religious of St. Augustine, who had gone there the same year from
Manila, and where also the ship bound for Quanto had entered. The
harbor could be sounded [i.e., it formed a good anchorage], but
to enter and leave it were very difficult, because its channel had
many turns, with rocks and high mountains on both sides. However,
as the Japanese natives with their funeas towed and guided the ship
so that it might enter, it had less difficulty. When it was inside,
a Japanese guard was placed on the ship, and those who went ashore
were not allowed to return to the ship. The supplies furnished them
did not suffice for all their necessities, and the price was not
suitable. On this account, and because a large number of soldiers had
assembled quickly at the port from the whole district, and had asked
the general for the sails of the ship, which he had always declined
to give them, he feared that they wished to seize the ship and its
merchandise, as was done in Hurando, with the ship "San Felipe,"
in the year ninety-six. He acted with caution, and kept much closer
watch thenceforward, without leaving his ship or allowing his men
to leave it alone, or any of the merchandise to be unloaded. At the
same time he sent his brother, Don Alonso de Ulloa, and Don Antonio
Maldonado to Miaco with a reasonable present for Daifusama, that he
might have provision given them and permission to go out again from
that harbor. [155] These men made the journey by land. Meanwhile,
those on the ship were greatly troubled by the Japanese who were in the
port, and by their captains, who were not satisfied with the presents
which were given them to make them well disposed, but forcibly seized
whatever they saw, giving out that everything was theirs and that it
would soon be in their power. Fray Diego de Guebara, the Augustinian
superior in Firando, came to the ship and told the general that he had
put into a bad harbor of infidels and wicked people, who would take
his ship and rob it, and that he should endeavor with all his might
to get it out of there and take it to Firando where he [the father]
was living. Meanwhile he told him to be on the watch and guard to the
best of his ability. As the father was returning to his house with
some pieces of silk, given him on the ship for his new church and
monastery at Firando, the Japanese took it away from him and did not
leave him a thing, saying that it was all theirs, and he went away
without it. About a dozen and a half of the Spaniards of the ship
were ashore, where they were kept in confinement and not allowed to
go on board again, and although the general warned them that he had
determined to leave the port as soon as possible, and that they should
make every effort to come to the ship, they could not all do so,
but only four or five of them. Without waiting any longer he drove
the Japanese guard from the ship, bent the foresail and spritsail,
loaded the artillery, and, with weapons in hand, one morning set the
ship in readiness to weigh anchor. The Japanese went to the channel at
the mouth of the harbor with many funeas and arquebusiers, stretched
a thick rattan cable which they had woven, and moored it on both banks
in order that the ship might not be able to sail out. The general sent
a small boat with six arquebusiers to find out what they were doing,
but at their approach, a number of the Japanese funeas attacked them
with the purpose of capturing them. However, by defending themselves
with their arquebuses they returned to the ship and reported to the
general that the Japanese were closing the exit from the harbor with
a cable. Taking this to be a bad sign, the ship immediately set sail
against the cable to break it, and a negro, to whom the general
promised his freedom, offered to be let down over the bow with a
large machete in order to cut the cable when the ship should reach it.

With the artillery and the arquebuses he cleared the channel of the
funeas there, and when he came to the cable, with the impetus of
the vessel and the strenuous efforts of the negro with the machete,
it broke, and the ship passed through. It still remained for it to go
through the many turns which the channel made before coming out to the
sea and it seemed impossible for a ship which was sailing fast to go
through them, but God permitted it to pass out through them as though
it had had a breeze for each turn. But the Japanese, who had assembled
in great numbers on the hills and rocks within range of where the ship
was passing, did not fail to annoy the ship with many volleys, with
which they killed one Spaniard on the ship and wounded others. The
ship did the same, and with their artillery they killed several of
the Japanese. The Japanese failed to obstruct the ship's passage, and
accordingly were left without it. The general, finding himself on the
sea and free from the past danger, and seeing that it was beginning
to blow a little from the north, thought it best to venture on his
voyage to Manila rather than to seek another harbor in Japon. Having
raised a jury-mast [156] in place of the main-mast, and with the wind
freshening daily from the north, he crossed to Luzón in twelve days,
via the cape of Bojeador, and reached the mouth of the bay of Manila,
where he found the ship "Jesus Maria," which was also putting in in
distress through the Capul Channel; and so the two ships together,
as they had gone together out of the port of Cabit five months before,
made harbor there again in distress after having suffered many damages
and losses to the exchequer.

Don Alonso de Ulloa and Don Francisco Maldonado, while this was going
on in the harbor where they had left the ship "Espiritu Santo," reached
Miaco and delivered their message and present to Daifusama. The latter,
upon being informed who they were, that their ship had entered Japon,
and that they were from Manila, received them cordially, and quickly
gave them warrants and chapas [i.e., safe-conducts], in order that the
tonos and governors of the provinces where the ship had entered should
allow it and its crew to depart freely. They were to be allowed to
refit, and to be given what they needed; and whatever had been taken
from them, whether much or little, was to be returned.

While this matter was being attended to, news reached Miaco of the
departure of the ship from the harbor, and the skirmish with the
Japanese over it, and of this they complained anew to Diafu. He showed
that he was troubled at the departure of the ship and the discourtesy
to it, and at the outrages committed by the Japanese. He gave new
chapas for restitution of all the goods to be made; and sent a catan
from his own hand with which justice should be performed upon those
who had offended in this matter, [157] and ordered that the Spaniards
who remained in the port should be set free, and that their goods
be returned to them. With this warrant the Spaniards left that port
and recovered what had been taken from them. The ambassadors and the
others returned to Manila in the first vessels which left, taking with
them eight chapas of the same tenor from Daifusama, in order that in
the future ships coming from Manila to any port whatever of J apon,
might be received courteously and well treated, without having any
harm done them. These, upon their arrival in Manila, they handed over
to the governor, who gives them to the ships sailing to Nueva España,
to provide for any incidents on the voyage.

At the same time that Governor Don Pedro de Acuña entered upon
his administration, the captain and sargento-mayor, Pedro Cotelo de
Morales, arrived from Jolo with the advices and report of Joan Xuarez
Gallinato concerning the state of affairs in that island, whither
he had gone with the fleet at the beginning of that same year. The
governor, on account of the importance of the matter, wished to make
every effort possible, and determined to send him supplies and a
reënforcement of some men, which he did as soon as possible. He was
ordered to at least make an effort to punish that enemy, even if he
could do nothing more, and, whenever the opportunity presented itself,
to go to do the same thing in the river of Mindanao, and return to the
Pintados. When this commission reached Jolo, Gallinato was already so
worn out, and his men so ill, that the reënforcements only made it
possible for him to get away from there; accordingly without seeing
to another thing, he broke camp, burned the forts which he had built,
embarked, and went to Pintados, leaving the people of that island of
Jolo and their neighbors, those of Mindanao, emboldened more than
ever to make raids against the Pintados, and the islands within,
which they did.

The governor, without delaying any longer in Manila, hastily started
for the island of Panay and the town of Arevalo, in a galliot and
other small vessels, to see their needs with his own eyes, in order to
provide for them. He left war matters in Manila, during his absence, in
charge of Licentiate Don Antonio de Ribera, auditor of the Audiencia.

As soon as the governor left Manila, the auditor had plenty to look
after, because a squadron of twenty caracoas and other vessels from
Mindanao entered the islands as far as the island of Luzon and its
coasts, making captures. Having taken some ships bound from Sebu to
Manila, they captured ten Spaniards in them, among them a woman and
a priest and Captain Martin de Mandia, and they took them off with
them. They entered Calilaya, burned the church and all the town,
and captured many persons of all classes among the natives. Thence
they passed to the town of Valayan [Balayán] to do the same, but the
auditor, having received news of the enemy in Manila, had it already
in a state of defense with fifty Spaniards and a captain and some
vessels. Consequently, they did not dare to enter the town or its
bay, but crossed over to Mindoro, where, in the principal town, they
captured many men, women, and children among the natives, seizing their
gold and possessions, and burning their houses and church, where they
captured theprebendary Corral, curate of that doctrina. They filled
their own ships, and others which they seized there, with captives,
gold, and property, staying in the port of Mindoro as leisurely as
though in their own land, notwithstanding that it is but twenty-four
leguas from Manila. Captain Martin de Mendia, prisoner of these
pirates, offered for himself and the other Spanish captives that,
if they would let him go to Manila, he would get the ransom for all,
and would take it, or would send it within six months, to the river
of Mindanao, or otherwise he would return to their power. The chief
in command of the fleet agreed thereto, with certain provisions and
conditions, and caused the other captives to write, to the effect
that what had been agreed upon might be fulfilled, and then he
allowed the captain to leave the fleet. The latter came to the city,
and upon receiving his report, the auditor sent munitions, ships,
and more men to Valayan than there were there already, with orders
to go in pursuit of the enemy without delay, saying that they would
find him in Mindoro. Captain Gaspar Perez, who had charge of this in
Valayan, did not start so quickly as he should have done in order
to find the enemy in Mindoro, for when he arrived he found that he
had left that port six days before, laden with ships and booty, to
return to Mindanao. Then he went in pursuit of him, although somewhat
slowly. The enemy put into the river of a little uninhabited island
to get water and wood. Just at that time Governor Don Pedro de Acuña,
who was hastily returning to Manila, from the town of Arvalo, where
he had learned of the incursion of those pirates, passed. He passed
so near the mouth of this river, in two small champans and a virrey,
with very few men, that it was a wonder that he was not seen and
captured by the enemy. He learned that the enemy was there, from a
boat of natives which was escaping therefrom, and then he met Gaspar
Perez going in search of the enemy with twelve vessels, caracoas and
vireys, and some large champans. The governor made him make more haste
and gave him some of his own men to guide him to where he had left
the pirates the day before, whereupon they went to attack them. But
the latter espied the fleet through their sentinels whom they had
already stationed in the sea, outside the river. Accordingly they
left the river in haste, and took to flight, throwing into the sea
goods and slaves in order to flee more lightly. Their flagship and
almiranta caracoas protected the ships which were dropping behind
and made them throw overboard what they could and work with all
the strength of their paddles, assisted by their sails. The Spanish
fleet, the vessels of which were not so light, could not put forth
enough strength to overtake all of them, because, furthermore,
they went into the open without fear of the heavy seas which were
running, inasmuch as they were fleeing. Yet some of the ships of
Captain Gaspar Perez, being lighter, got among the enemy's fleet,
sunk some caracoas, and captured two, but the rest escaped, although
with great danger of being lost. Without accomplishing anything else,
the fleet returned to Manila where the governor had already entered,
very much disturbed that things should have come to such a pass that
these enemies, who had never dared to leave their houses, should have
been so daring and bold as to come to the very gates of the city,
doing great damage and making captures.

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