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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 victorious Malays in Camboja are finally driven out by a
combination of patriotic mandarins, and make the brother of their old
king sovereign, whereupon relations between Camboja and the Philippines
are again established by sending there a number of religious. In May
of 1603 two ships with reënforcements arrive at Manila, bringing
certain ecclesiastical news. The aid rendered Furtado de Mendoza
by Gallinato does not prove sufficient to subdue the Ternatans, and
Gallinato returns to Manila. The present installment of Morga ends
with the courteous letter written to Acuña by Furtado de Mendoza,
in which he renders praise to Gallinato and his men. The remainder
of the book will appear in the succeeding volume.

The present volume ends with two appendices: the first an abstract
of Thomas Candish's circumnavigation; the second an abstract of Dutch
expeditions to the East Indies.

THE EDITORS

May, 1904.


SUCESOS DE LAS ISLAS FILIPINAS

By Dr. Antonio de Morga. Mexico: at the shop of Geronymo Baili,
in the year 1609; printed by Cornelio Adriano Cesar.

SOURCE: The translation is made from the Harvard copy of the original
printed work.

TRANSLATION: This is made by Alfonso de Salvio, Norman F. Hall,
and James Alexander Robertson.


SVCESOS DE LAS ISLAS FILIPINAS

DIRIGIDO

A DON CRISTOVAL GOMEZ DE

Sandoual y Rojas, Duque de Cea.

POR EL DOCTOR ANTONIO DE MORGA,

Alcaldo del Crimen, de la real Audiencia de la Nueua España, Consultor
del santo Oficio de la Inquisicion.


EN MEXICO.

En casa de Geronymo Balli. Año 1609.

Por Cornelio Adriano Cesar





EVENTS IN THE FILIPINAS ISLANDS.

DEDICATED

TO DON CRISTOVAL GOMEZ DE

Sandoval y Rojas, Duke of Cea.

BY DOCTOR ANTONIO DE MORGA,

Alcalde of Criminal Causes, in the Royal Audiencia of Nuevà España,
and Counsel for the holy Office of the Inquisition.

IN MEXICO.

At the shop of Geronymo Balli, in the year 1609.

By Cornelio Adriano Cesar.





EVENTS IN THE FILIPINAS ISLANDS

By order of the most excellent Don Luis de Velasco, viceroy of this
Nueva España, and of the most illustrious and reverend Don Fray Garcia
Guerra, archbishop of Mexico, and member of his Majesty's council,
I have examined this book of the Events in the Philipinas Islands,
written by Doctor Antonio de Morga, alcalde of the court in the royal
Audiencia of Mexico. In my judgment it is entertaining, profitable,
and worthy of publication. The author has strictly obeyed the laws of
history therein, in the excellent arrangement of his work, in which
he shows his soundness of intellect and a concise style to which
few attain, together with a true exposition of the subject matter,
as it was written by one who was so fully conversant with it, during
the years that he governed those islands. I have accordingly affixed
my signature to this instrument here at the professed house of the
Society of Jesus in Mexico, on the first of April, 1609.

JUAN SANCHEZ

Don Luys de Velasco, knight of the Order of Sanctiago,
viceroy-lieutenant of the king our sovereign, governor and
captain-general of Nueva España, and president of the royal Audiencia
and Chancillería established therein, etc. Whereas Doctor Antonio de
Morga, alcalde of criminal causes in this royal Audiencia, informed me
that he had written a book and treatise on the Events in the Filipinas
Islands, from their earliest discoveries and conquest until the end
of the past year six hundred and seven, and requested me to grant him
permission and privilege to have it printed, to the exclusion of all
others doing the same for a certain period; and whereas I entrusted
Father Juan Sanchez, of the Society of Jesus, with the inspection
of the said book, as my proxy: therefore, I hereby grant permission
to the said Doctor Antonio de Morga, so that, for the period of the
next ten years, he, or his appointee, may freely have the said book
printed by whatever printer he pleases; and I forbid any other person
to do the same within the said time and without the said permission,
under penalty of losing--and he shall lose--the type and accessories
with which the said impression shall be made, and the same shall be
applied in equal shares to his Majesty's exchequer and to the said
Doctor Antonio de Morga. Given in Mexico, on the seventh of the month
of April, one thousand six hundred and nine.

DON LUYS DE VELASCO

By order of the viceroy:

MARTIN LOPEZ GAUNA

Don Fray Garcia Guerra, by the divine grace and that of the holy
apostolic see, archbishop of Mexico, member of his Majesty's Council,
etc. Having seen the opinion expressed by Father Juan Sanchez, of the
Society of Jesus, after he had examined the book presented to us by
Doctor Antonio de Morga, alcalde in this court and Chancillería,
entitled Events in the Filipinas Islands, their Conquest and
Conversion, for which we granted him authority; and since it is
evident, by the above-mentioned opinion, that it contains nothing
against our holy Catholic faith, or good morals, but that, on the
contrary, it is useful and profitable to all persons who may read it:
therefore we do hereby grant permission to the said Doctor Antonio de
Morga, to have the said book of the said conquest and conversion of
the Filipinas Islands printed in any of the printing establishments
of the city. Given in Mexico, on the seventh of April, one thousand
six hundred and nine.

FRAY GARCIA, archbishop of Mexico.

By order of his most illustrious Lordship, the archbishop of Mexico:

DON JUAN DE PORTILLA, secretary.

¶To Don Cristoval Gomez de Sandoval y Rojas, duke of Cea [1]

I offer your Excellency this small work, worthy of a kind reception as
much for its faithful relation as for its freedom from artifice and
adornment. Knowing my poor resources, I began it with fear; but what
encouraged me to proceed was the fact that, if what is given were
to bear an equal proportion to the receiver, there would be no one
worthy of placing his works in your Excellency's hands; and oblivion
would await the deeds achieved in these times by our Spaniards in
the discovery, conquest, and conversion of the Filipinas Islands--as
well as various fortunes which they have had from time to time in the
great kingdoms and among the pagan peoples surrounding the islands:
for, on account of the remoteness of those regions, no account has
been given to the public which purports to treat of them from their
beginnings down to the present condition. I entreat your Excellency to
accept my good will, which is laid prostrate at your feet; and should
this short treatise not afford that pleasure, which self-love--that
infirmity of the human mind--leads me to expect, will your Excellency
deal with me, as you are wont to deal with all, and read this book
and conceal its imperfections with the exercise of your toleration
and gentleness. For you are so richly endowed with these and other
virtues--which, through the divine power, cause lofty things not to
keep aloof from humble ones; and which, in addition to your own natural
greatness, have placed your Excellency in your present office for the
good of these realms, where you reward and favor the good, and correct
and check the opposite. In such rule consists the welfare of the state;
and this made the ancient philosopher, Democritus, say that reward and
punishment were true gods. In order to enjoy this happiness, we need
not crave any bygone time, but, contenting ourselves with the present,
pray that God may preserve your Excellency to us for many years.

DON ANTONIO DE MORGA [2]

To the reader [3]

The greatness of the monarchy of the Spanish kings is due to the zeal
and care with which they have defended, within their own hereditary
kingdoms, the holy Catholic faith taught by the Roman church, against
all enemies who oppose it, or seek by various errors to obscure its
truth which the kings have disseminated throughout the world. Thus,
by the mercy of God, they preserve their kingdoms and subjects in
the purity of the Christian religion, meriting thereby their glorious
title and renown of "Defenders of the Faith." Moreover, by the valor
of their indomitable hearts, and at the expense of their revenues and
possessions, they have ploughed the seas with Spanish fleets and men,
and discovered and conquered vast kingdoms in the most remote and
unknown parts of the world. They have led the inhabitants of these
regions to a knowledge of the true God, and into the fold of the
Christian church, in which those peoples now live, governed in civil
and political matters with peace and justice, under the shelter and
protection of the royal arm and power, which were wanting to them
when weighed down by blind tyrannies and barbarous cruelties, on
which the enemy of the human race had so long reared them for himself.

For this reason the crown and scepter of España have extended
themselves wherever the sun sheds its light, from its rising to its
setting, with the glory and splendor of their power and majesty, and
the Spanish monarchs have excelled the other princes of the earth by
having gained innumerable souls for heaven, which has been España's
principal intention and its wealth. These, together with the great
riches and treasures which España enjoys, and the famous deeds and
victories which it has won, cause the whole world to magnify and
extol its lofty name and the energy and valor of its subjects, who
in accomplishing these deeds have lavished their blood.

Having won America, the fourth part of the earth, of which the
ancients knew naught, they sailed in the course of the sun until
they discovered an archipelago of many islands in the eastern
ocean, adjacent to farther Asia, inhabited by various peoples,
and abounding in rich metals, precious stones, and pearls, and all
manner of fruit. There raising the standard of the Faith, they freed
those peoples from the yoke and power of the demon, and placed them
under the command and government of the Faith. Consequently they may
justly raise in those islands the pillars and trophies of Non plus
ultra which the famous Hercules left on the shore of the Cadiz Sea,
which were afterward cast down by the strong arm of Cárlos V, [4]
our sovereign, who surpassed Hercules in great deeds and enterprises.

After the islands had been conquered by the sovereign light of the
holy gospel which entered therein, the heathen were baptized, the
darkness of their paganism was banished, and they changed their own for
Christian names. The islands also, losing their former name, took--with
the change of religion and the baptism of their inhabitants--that
of Filipinas Islands, in recognition of the great favors received
at the hands of his Majesty Filipo the Second, our sovereign, in
whose fortunate time and reign they were conquered, protected, and
encouraged, as a work and achievement of his royal hands.

Their discovery, conquest, and conversion were not accomplished without
great expenditure, labor, and Spanish blood, with varying success,
and amid dangers: these things render the work more illustrious,
and furnish a spacious field of which historians may treat, for such
is their office. Certainly the subject matter is not scanty, and
contains both serious and pleasant elements sufficient to be worthy
of attention, so that it will not depreciate historians to treat of
Indian occurrences and wars, which those who have not experienced
undervalue. For the people of those regions are valiant and warlike
nations of Asia, who have been reared in continual warfare, both by
sea and by land, and who use artillery and other warlike implements,
which the necessity of defending themselves against great and powerful
neighboring kingdoms, taught them to use skilfully; and--although
somewhat imperfectly--they have gained dexterity and have completed
their education in the school of España, which recently brought war to
their gates--thus sharing the experience of other provinces of Europe,
who also had formerly been ignorant and careless of the use of arms.

Some painstaking persons, to whom--for lack of time and means--I have
given and delivered many papers and relations which I possessed, have
planned to write this history; and I hope that they will publish it
in better shape than the fragmentary histories which we have hitherto
received from some contemporary historians. [5]

I spent eight years in the Filipinas Islands, the best years of
my life, serving continuously as lieutenant of the governor and
captain-general, and, as soon as the royal Audiencia of Manila was
established, in the office of auditor, which I was the first to
fill. [6] And desirous that the affairs of those islands should be
known, especially those which occurred during my connection with
them, I have related these matters in a book of eight chapters,
tracing them from their origin so far as was necessary. The first
seven chapters contain an account of the discoveries, conquests, and
other events in the islands and neighboring kingdoms and provinces,
which occurred during the time of the proprietary governors [7]
until the death of Don Pedro de Acuña. The eighth and last chapter
contains a brief summary and account of the nature of these regions,
their inhabitants, the manner of governing and converting them, and
other details; moreover, it treats of the acquaintance, dealings,
and intercourse which they maintain with their neighboring islands and
pagan communities. As fearful am I for the imperfections which will be
found in this work, as I am persuaded that they deserve forgiveness,
since my design and chief intent has been to give each one his due and
to present the truth without hatred or flattery, which has been injured
in some current narratives. [8] The latter is a fault to be severely
reproved in those who relate the deeds of others, inasmuch as it was
prohibited by a penal law which Cato and Marcius, tribunes of the
Roman people, established for those who, in relating their own deeds,
overstepped the truth--although this seemed less worthy of punishment,
on account of the self-love which intervenes in such a case.

There will not be wanting some person who will point out my oversights,
but I shall have already answered him by confessing them; and should
this not suffice to silence him, I shall stop up my ears like another
Ulysses, and--considering the haste with which I have written--endure
this inconvenience and difficulty, desiring only to please and serve
whomsoever may read it; and this will be sufficient to protect me
from greater dangers.

Notice is given that

In reading this history, one may find certain words--names of
provinces, towns, magistrates, arms, and vessels--which it has seemed
more suitable to write by their usual names in those regions. In
the last chapter, which contains an account of the islands and their
peculiarities, these words will be explained and defined.



¶ Of the first discoveries of the eastern islands; the voyage thither
by Adelantado Miguel Lopez de Legazpi; the conquest and pacification of
the Filipinas during his governorship, and that of Guido de Labazarris,
who afterward held the office.

¶ CHAPTER FIRST

According to ancient and modern cosmographers, that part of the world
called Asia has adjacent to it a multitude of greater and lesser
islands, inhabited by various nations and peoples, and as rich in
precious stones, gold, silver, and other minerals, as they abound in
fruit and grain, flocks, and animals. Some of the islands yield all
kinds of spices which are carried away and distributed throughout
the world. These islands are commonly designated in their books,
descriptions, and sea-charts, as the great archipelago of San Lazaro,
and are located in the eastern ocean. Among the most famous of them
are the islands of Maluco, Céleves, Tendaya, Luzon, Mindanao, and
Borneo, which are now called the Filipinas.

When Pope Alexander the Sixth divided the conquests of the new world
between the kings of Castilla and of Portugal, the kings agreed to
make the division by means of a line drawn across the world by the
cosmographers, so that they might continue their discoveries and
conquests, one toward the west and the other toward the east, and
pacify whatever regions each might gain within his own demarcation.

After the crown of Portugal had conquered the city of Malaca, on
the mainland of Asia, in the kingdom of Jor [Johore]--called by
the ancients Aurea Chersonesus--a Portuguese fleet, in the year one
thousand five hundred and eleven, on hearing of neighboring islands
and especially of those of Maluco and Banda, where cloves and nutmegs
are gathered, went to discover them. After touching at Banda, they
went to Terrenate, one of the islands of Maluco, at the invitation
of its king, to defend him against his neighbor, the king of Tidore,
with whom he was at war. This was the beginning of the Portuguese
settlement in Maluco.

Francisco Serrano, who after this discovery returned to Malaca, and
thence went to India with the purpose of going to Portugal to give
an account of the discovery, died before he had accomplished this
voyage, but not, however, without having communicated in letters to
his friend, Fernando de Magallanes, what he had seen; [9] for they
had been together at the taking of Malaca, although the latter was
then in Portugal. From this relation, Magallanes learned whatever
was necessary for the discovery and navigation of these islands. [10]

At this time, Magallanes, who for certain reasons had entered the
service of the king of Castilla, told the emperor Cárlos V, our
sovereign, that the islands of Maluco fell within the demarcation of
the latter's crown of Castilla, and that their conquest belonged to
him, according to the concessions made by Pope Alexander; moreover,
he offered to make the expedition and navigation to the islands in
the emperor's name, by sailing through that part of the demarcation
belonging to Castilla, and by availing himself of a famous astrologer
and cosmographer, named Ruyfarelo [sic], whom he had with him.

The emperor, moved by the importance of the undertaking, entrusted
Fernando de Magallanes with this expedition and discovery, supplying
him with the necessary ships and provisions therefor. Thus equipped, he
set sail and discovered the strait to which he gave his name. Through
this he entered the southern sea, and sailed to the islands of Tendaya
and Sebu, where he was killed by the natives of Matan, which is one of
these islands. His ships proceeded to Maluco, where the sailors fell
into disputes and contentions with the Portuguese then stationed in the
island of Terrenate. Finally, not being able to maintain themselves
there, the Castilians left Maluco in a ship, called the "Victoria,"
the only remaining vessel of their fleet. As leader and captain,
they chose Juan Sebastian del Caño, who made the voyage to Castilla
by way of India, where he arrived with but few men, and informed his
Majesty of the discovery of the great archipelago, and of his voyage.

The same enterprise was attempted at other times, and was carried
out by Juan Sebastian del Caño, Comendador Loaisa, the Saoneses,
and the bishop of Plasencia. [11] But these did not bear the fruits
expected, on account of the hardships and perils of so long a voyage,
and the opposition received by those who reached Maluco, from the
Portuguese there.

After all these events, as it was thought that this discovery might
be made quicker and better by way of Nueva España, in the year one
thousand five hundred and forty-five, [12] a fleet, under command of
Rui Lopez de Villalobos, was sent by that route. They reached Maluco
by way of Sebu, where they quarreled with the Portuguese, and suffered
misfortunes and hardships, so that they were unable to effect the
desired end; nor could the fleet return to Nueva España whence it
had sailed, but was destroyed. Some of the surviving Castilians left
Maluco by way of Portuguese India and returned to Castilla. There they
related the occurrences of their voyage, and the quality and nature
of the islands of Maluco and of the other islands that they had seen.

Afterward as King Don Felipe II, our sovereign, considered it
inadvisable for him to desist from that same enterprise, and being
informed by Don Luys de Velasco, viceroy of Nueva España, and by Fray
Andres de Urdaneta of the Augustinian order--who had been in Maluco
with the fleet of Comendador Loaisa, while a layman--that this voyage
might be made better and quicker by way of Nueva Españia, he entrusted
the expedition to the viceroy. Fray Andres de Urdaneta left the court
for Nueva Españia, [13] for, as he was so experienced and excellent
a cosmographer, he offered to go with the fleet and to discover the
return voyage. The viceroy equipped a fleet and its crew with the
most necessary things in Puerto de la Navidad, in the southern sea,
under charge of a worthy and reliable man, Miguel Lopez de Legazpi,
a citizen of Mexico and a native of the province of Guipuzcoa. On
account of the viceroy's death, the Audiencia which was governing in
his place completed arrangements for the despatching of Legazpi, and
gave him instructions as to his destination, with orders not to open
them until three hundred leguas at sea; for there were differences
among members of the fleet, some saying that they would better go
to Nueva Guinea, others to the Luzones, and others to Maluco. Miguel
Lopez de Legazpi left Puerto de la Navidad in the year one thousand
five hundred and sixty-four, with five ships and five hundred men,
accompanied by Fray Andres de Urdaneta and four other religious of
the Order of St. Augustine. After sailing westward for several days,
he opened his instructions, and found that he was ordered to go to
the islands of Luzones and there endeavor to pacify them and reduce
them to the obedience of his Majesty, and to make them accept the
holy Catholic faith. [14] He continued his voyage until reaching the
island of Sebu, where he anchored, induced by the convenience of a
good port and by the nature of the land. At first he was received
peacefully by the natives and by their chief Tupas; but later they
tried to kill him and his companions, for the Spaniards having seized
their provisions, the natives took up arms against the latter; but the
opposite to their expectations occurred, for the Spaniards conquered
and subdued them. Seeing what had happened in Sebu, the natives of
other neighboring islands came peacefully before the adelantado,
rendered him homage, and supplied his camp with a few provisions. The
first of the Spanish settlements was made in that port, and was called
the city of Sanctisimo Nombre de Jesus [Most holy name of Jesus],
[15] because a carved image of Jesus had been found in one of the
houses of the natives when the Spaniards conquered the latter, which
was believed to have been left there by the fleet of Magallanes. The
natives held the image in great reverence, and it wrought miracles
for them in times of need. The Spaniards placed it in the monastery
of St. Augustine, in that city.

That same year the adelantado despatched the flagship of his fleet
to Nueva España, with the relation and news of what had happened
during the voyage, and of the settlement in Sebu. He requested men
and supplies in order to continue the pacification of the other
islands. Fray Andres de Urdaneta and his associate, Fray Andres de
Aguirre, sailed in the vessel.

One of the ships which left Puerto de la Navidad in company with the
fleet and under command of Don Alonso de Arellano, carried as pilot
one Lope Martin, a mulatto and a good sailor, although a turbulent
fellow. When the ship neared the islands, it left the fleet and
went among them ahead of the other vessels. There they bartered
for provisions, and, without awaiting the adelantado, returned to
Nueva España by a northerly course--either because of their slight
gratification at having made the voyage to the islands, or to gain
the reward for having discovered the return passage. They soon
arrived and declared that they had seen the islands and discovered
the return voyage. They alleged various reasons for their coming,
but brought no message from the adelantado, or news of what had
happened to him. Don Alonso de Arellano was well received by the
Audiencia which was governing, where the rewarding of him and
his pilot was considered. This would have been done, had not the
adelantado's flagship arrived during this time, after having made
the same voyage. It brought an authentic account of events, of the
actual state of affairs, and of the settlement of Sebu. Moreover, they
related that Don Alonso de Arellano, without receiving any orders,
and without any necessity for it, had preceded the fleet with his
ship at the entrance of the islands, and was seen no more. They said
also that, besides those islands which had peacefully submitted to
his Majesty, there were many others, large and rich, well-inhabited,
and abounding in food and gold. They hoped to pacify and reduce
those islands with the reënforcements requested. They said that the
adelantado had named all the islands Filipinas, [16] in honor of his
Majesty. Reënforcements were immediately sent to the adelantado,
and have been sent every year, as necessity has demanded, so that
the land has been conquered and maintained.

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