The Project Gutenberg eBook of The Philippine Islands, 1493-1898 — Volume 11 of 55 11. Item : The greatest possible care and caution shall be taken in the use of the ammunition and supplies, in order that this voyage may be prolonged. 12. Item : All these vessels must endeavor to keep together. But if one of the vessels should become separated from the others, by storm or by any other necessity, no direction for the exact route to be followed is given, as the design or course of the enemy is unknown. It is observed only that all the vessels are under obligation to seek for and pursue the enemy until they shall drive him, if nothing more shall be possible, from these islands, and leave the islands safe and free from the said enemy. But the best thing for the ship to do that becomes separated, as said above, will be to find out the course taken by the enemy, and to pursue that same course until it shall rejoin the fleet. 13. Item : Inasmuch as the governor and captain-general of these islands has given Captain Joan Tello y Aguirre, who is aboard the said almiranta, command as captain of infantry of what men I may assign him, I do hereby assign to him the infantry troops aboard said ship for the time that said expedition shall endure and last. The said admiral shall deliver these men to said Captain Joan Tello y Aguirre, in order that, as their captain, he may have charge of them, and punish and discipline them. All the above plan must be kept and observed now and henceforth throughout the course of this voyage. I give these instructions to the said admiral and other persons whom they may concern, in conformity with the command that I hold from the said governor and captain-general of these islands. In testimony thereof, I affixed my signature aboard the flagship, off the island of Mariveles, Wednesday, December thirteen, one thousand six hundred. [18] Doctor Antonio de Morga Account of the battle between Morga and Van Noordt The license and daring of these heretical enemies of our holy religion and faith are so well known to all, that no one can relate satisfactorily the misfortunes that they have brought upon us, the destructions and deaths that they have caused among us, and the rich booty that they have carried away—which God in His righteous judgment permitted. As they behold themselves so favored by fortune, their greed is increasing continually, and they are continuing to prosecute their designs, as was the case when Francisco Draque [19] passed the Strait of Magellan and coasted along Chile and Piru, where he seized the vessel "San Joan" of Anzona, with a large consignment of silver, in the year 1579. Again in the year 1587, they passed the straits under the English general Don Tomas Canbler. [20] Within sight of the Californias they seized and sacked the vessel "Sanctana," which was sailing from these islands to Nueva España with a large cargo of silk and gold. Having easily made this seizure, they returned home, displaying innumerable banners, streamers, and pennons; and it is even affirmed that their sails were of damask. Their countrymen, upon seeing them return so rich and prosperous in so short a time, were so enthusiastic as to launch a similar undertaking. Among those who resolved to make a voyage to these parts was Oliver Daudtnord [21] a native of Nostradama [Amsterdam], one of the islands of Olanda and Xelanda [Holland and Zeeland]. Being persuaded and informed by the boatswain who sailed on the vessel that seized the ship "Sanctana"—to whom he gave title as captain and chief pilot—and being attracted to privateering, he asked permission of Mauricio, count of Nasao, and prince of Orange, [22] in whose dominions the above islands are located, to equip four ships. He received permission, whereupon he collected as many men and as much of supplies and artillery as he deemed necessary. He placed forty of the total of two hundred and sixty men aboard two of the ships, which sailed from the port of Nostradama—while the other two sailed from the port of Rrotadama [Rotterdam]—on the eleventh or twelfth of August, in the year 1598. They laid their course toward the straits of Magellanes; and while skirting the coast of Brasil, the Portuguese there hoisted a flag of peace. This being seen by the English and Irish, twelve of them went ashore in the shallop, where the Portuguese, who numbered perhaps ten or twelve, received them with pleasant countenances, and invited them to dine. But while at dinner the Portuguese murdered all the Irishmen, among them the chief pilot, upon whom the others relied because of his familiarity with the said course and voyage. Thereupon the enemy, furious at the manner in which they had been treated, landed forty or fifty arquebusiers in order to avenge the injury that they had received. The Portuguese, in anticipation of this, intrenched themselves very strongly, so that the enemy was unable to enter their fort, but was, on the contrary, forced to retire to his boats with a loss of six men. They set sail and laid their course for the strait [of Magellan], where they arrived a year and seven months from the time when they sailed from their own country. When they arrived there they encountered many storms and head-winds, and sickness to such an extent that they were obliged to transfer the men still remaining on one ship to the other three. Then they sunk this vessel, and with the three vessels pursued their course, followed continually by storms which never left them. They sighted a vessel, which upon investigation turned out to be English. By it they were informed that another squadron of four vessels had sailed from Yngalaterra [England], and that this vessel, being unable to carry so much sail as the others, had been left to its fate, and knew naught more of the others. The Dutch ships continued their course and sailed ahead, so that within a few days they lost sight of this vessel. They passed through the strait, where they lost four or five months. After this it happened that the general fell out with his admiral, whom he charged with negligence of his orders. The admiral was tried, the charges sustained, and traitorous misdeeds proved against him; therefore he was abandoned on a desert island near the coast of Chile. [23] Then the general appointed as admiral one of the most valiant and experienced soldiers of his band. He reached the coast of Chile, where he made a few captures, although of no especial importance. The first was a fragata, [24] which was seized near the island of Sancta Maria Domingo de Rramos in the year 1600. They were informed by this vessel that two ships had gone to Arica for the king's silver; but they were warned that there were war-vessels at Callao. This fragata, they say, was carrying three consignments of gold; but our men, upon seeing that they were lost, threw it overboard. The enemy seized the pilot, who was a Portuguese, and took the fragata along with them, together with two negroes who were aboard of her. The latter told them that the pilot had had all the gold thrown overboard, whereupon they ordered the pilot to be cast into the sea alive. They captured at Santiago on the same coast another vessel laden with tallow and Cordovan leather [morocco]. Considering that it was worth little to them, they burned it, and its crew escaped by swimming, except a few Spaniards and natives who perished in the water. The enemy seeing that they were acquiring small profit in that neighborhood, decided to go up along the coast of Nueva España, and wait at the entrance of the Californias for the annual vessels from these islands—the very purpose and object for which they had resolved upon their navigation, as is evident from the aforesaid. However they abandoned that purpose, upon being told by the negroes whom they had brought with them that Don Luis de Velazco, viceroy of Piru, had left Lima in person for the port of Callao to superintend the preparation of a large fleet, as he had been informed that pirates had passed and were along the coast. The enemy, fearful of this, and recalling the fact that, five years previously, Arricharse de Aquines, [25] an Englishman, was defeated and captured by our men, after the greater part of his force was killed, decided to abandon their voyage to the Californias, and to head for these islands, with the intention of awaiting at the Ladrones the shipments of silver from Nueva España to Manila. With the said intent, they put to sea, but after sailing for several days, they encountered a storm, which brought them all nearly to the verge of destruction. One very dark and stormy night they lost sight of the almiranta, and never saw it again. Seeing himself without this vessel, the general chose as almiranta the fly-boat which he had remaining. This was a vessel of perhaps fifty toneladas burden, called "La Concordia," under command of a captain called Esias Delende. Then they resumed their course, with the same intention of capturing our silver, but, if unable to do more, to proceed to Maluco to barter for cloves, for which purpose they carried mirrors, knives, basins, and other small wares. They reached the Ladrones Islands—our Lord thus permitting—four or five days after our vessels had passed. They were detained there for several days, where, upon seeing their plans frustrated, they burned the fragata that they had brought from Piru. Thereupon they set sail and made the principal channel of these islands, eighty or ninety leguas from this city of Manila, where they stopped—either for iron, or, as our people here said, because of a need of provisions; or, as I believe, and as they themselves asserted, purposely. In short, instead of going by way of Capul, the right and necessary path for the voyage they were making, they entered a small bay called Albay, on the Camarines coast, where they anchored as if they were in their own harbors, and with as little fear and mistrust, as was clearly seen later on. They were hospitably received in this district, for our people supplied them with abundance of rice, with which to satisfy their need. They paid well for it, in order to relieve their necessity—they could not, had they wished, pay for more—for the purpose of assuring the natives that they had not come to harm them. They told the natives that they were vassals of the king Don Phelipe, our sovereign, in whose service and by whose permission they were coming. As is proved by those selfsame papers, the general showed the natives some counterfeit decrees, with which they ought to be satisfied. A messenger was sent to Manila to give information of the vessels that had arrived there. The news reached here on the nineteenth of October, when Captain Xiron reported that he was in the Camarines, and that he had boarded the general's ship, which was coming well-supplied with munitions, arms, and artillery. He gave information also concerning the number of men who, in his opinion, were carried by the two vessels—about ninety men, of whom some were sick; and of his dealings with them, and that they claimed to be vassals of the king our sovereign. As soon as news of the enemy reached this city, Don Francisco Tello, governor of these islands, sent soldiers as scouts along the Camarines coast, with orders to hide all the provisions, as he was unaware of the generous supply that the enemy had. It is quite true, as the English themselves said, that they could have had as much as they wanted, by paying for it. Captain Pedro de Arseo and Captain Christobal de Arseo Etaminchaca, both of the infantry, were also ordered to go with a command of men along the coast to form ambushes, should the enemy land. But this was all to no purpose, for the enemy, in little more than a month, came out of the bay and sailed away on one course or another—which seemed quite impossible to the people here, because they were confident that the enemy could not get out of the bay in which they lay. But it finally turned out quite to the contrary; for, as I say, they departed and laid their course to Capul, until they cast anchor in a harbor, where they are said to have cleaned the ships and sent men ashore to burn a small native village. One of the English was left behind there among the Indians, who seized and brought him to this city. They took his deposition, in which he told some of the things related above. Toward the last of November, one of the negroes, named Salvador, who had escaped by swimming one night near Capul, arrived here. He reported that the enemy were directing their course toward Maluco, and that meanwhile they were trying to discover if there were any plunder among these islands. He said that the capture of the enemy would be greatly facilitated by attacking them with a fleet; and his advice was not bad. All this time the enemy were coming nearer, until they anchored in the port of El Frayle, near Mariveles, where they lay very much at ease and without any fear, watching for the vessels coming to this city. They captured a fragata, which they sank. They took a quantity of flour from a Japanese vessel that was on its way here. In order to quiet the Japanese, they gave them a sword, and a few trinkets of no particular value. They captured a Chinese champan, by which they were informed that the Chinese vessels would arrive within a few months, laden with silks and merchandise of great value. This news pleased the enemy so highly that they did not propose to leave until they should seize some of the Chinese. From this place they wrote a letter to Don Francisco Tello, in which they declared that the Indians there had stolen a number of fowls from them, that his Lordship should order the Indians to make them good, and that they were coming to pay their respects to him. It may be seen by this how little they feared the governor. While these things were taking place, the governor had three ships fitted out—one from the city of Cebu, to act as flagship; another, a galizabra, still in the shipyard—which was launched a few days before the departure—called "San Bartolome," to act as almiranta; and a Portuguese patache [26] which had come from Malaca—with artillery, men, and munitions sufficient to overbalance the greater strength of the enemy. Doctor Antonio de Morga, auditor of this royal Audiencia, was appointed captain-general of this fleet, an appointment which highly displeased the old captains, because in their opinion they should have been considered. They thought it unjust that the auditors should take part in the affair, especially because it left only one auditor in the Audiencia. In the end, however, neither these nor other reasons sufficed to prevent his appointment. The general appointed as admiral Captain Joan de Alzega, a very courageous soldier, of considerable reputation and credit, a Biscayan by birth. Many noble and wealthy people assisted in serving his Majesty in this expedition, in all about three hundred men, counting the paid soldiers, the seamen, and others. They embarked very gallantly, with the resolution and intention of attempting not only that undertaking, but another of greater weight and difficulty. The general was impatient for the fleet to depart, and accordingly set sail on Tuesday, the twelfth of December. The flagship and almiranta left, without waiting for the Portuguese vessel, or allotting it sufficient crew or munitions, taking advantage of a tide which was discovered at the time of their departure, which was favorable to them. Accordingly they began their voyage. As they left the bay, beyond the river of Canas, three leguas from the harbor, the shallop which was carried on the stern of the almiranta went to the bottom, and drowned two seamen who were in it. They continued their voyage, and that night cast anchor at Mariveles, where they lay the rest of the night. In the morning they were informed by the alferez Albarran, who was stationed on that island as sentinel, that the enemy were anchored at Azebu, five or six leagues from there. Upon receiving this news, on that same day (St. Lucy's) our men began to spread the pavesades , [27] and ballasted the flagship a trifle more. They were all in the highest of spirits, and so eager were they to come to close quarters with the enemy, that every hour's delay seemed a hundred years to them. At midnight, or a little later, on St. Lucy's day, the flagship weighed anchor without notifying its almiranta. The latter, seeing the flagship make sail, followed. Without waiting for the small Portuguese vessel, they followed the course of the enemy, and at dawn the next day, which was the fourteenth of the said month, they discovered them. They investigated and ascertained beyond all doubt that it was the enemy. Their only fear was lest the latter might escape from them. Our men thought that if but once the enemy were grappled, they could overcome ten vessels. However, in a little while they were made to see the difference between fighting in imagination and actually using their hands in real earnest. In short, as above stated, our flagship was leading the advance; and when the enemy saw it, he ordered his almiranta to weigh anchor and reconnoiter. The order was obeyed, and although the almiranta put out to sea but a little distance, it recognized them as armed vessels, which was reported to the general. The latter ordered the almiranta to keep a sharp lookout and to run close-hauled; and, if it was apparent that the two vessels were approaching to attack them, to return to his assistance. But his intent was to see if he could not in any way separate their force, because he said that, ship for ship, his force was the abler. Since our flagship was drawing nearer and outstripping the almiranta, it was overtaking the enemy, who put to sea with his flagship and waited close-hauled. He fired a shot, which carried away part of the tops and the main halyard on our flagship. Ours returned the fire, but struck the water. When they almost touched our ship, the enemy fired another shot, which destroyed a pump and killed two or three Indians. Thereupon our men crowded on all sail, and attacked with the greatest determination that was ever seen—for, as they say, they were going with all sails set. Our ship grappled with its opponent, so that our men could board easily. With the vessels in this condition, shots were fired on both sides. About twelve of our men leaped aboard the enemy's ship. The enemy retreated to the bow, where they intrenched themselves, and made loopholes, through which they fired their muskets—although, being fearful lest our almiranta should come up to grapple with them, they did but little damage, before they were compelled to strike their own colors and hoist ours in their place. At this moment our almiranta came up with the intention of boarding on the other side. Thereupon our men who were aboard the enemy's ship cried out: "Victory! victory! for the king of España! Pass on ahead! Do not fire and kill us, for the ship has surrendered already." However, the admiral, Joan de Alezega, caused two pieces to be fired and a discharge of his musketry and arquebuses upon the enemy. It is understood that with one piece of this broadside, he did the enemy considerable injury, as was proved. As soon as the admiral understood that our men were advising him to pass on, and that the enemy's almiranta was fleeing under a press of canvas, he bore away in pursuit of it. The enemy's flagship, seeing that our almiranta had departed, began to serve their artillery more rapidly, and their musketry from the bow, so that they inflicted considerable loss upon those of our men who boarded their ship with only shields on their arms, and their swords. In this way they would have defeated the enemy if they had attacked with fifty men in a body. Instead of taking such good counsel, they boarded in parties of threes, while the enemy continued to wound and kill them. Even this lack of system and concord did not stop here, but it is understood that the enemy pierced our flagship with a ball at the water-line. Our men, flushed with the exultation of the victory they had won at first, and confused by much shouting, did not hasten to repair the damage; for they were people who did not like to be ordered, and their general could do nothing with them, as they were all captains and men of distinction. On account of this, and as the ship was so occupied by the sailors' berths, they could not, or did not, notice the shot which our ship received. When they did perceive it by the rising of the water to the second deck, they all became frightened; and, instead of boarding the enemy's ship, with the thought that if they were losing a ship, they were gaining one, they began to devise means of escape. Accordingly some leaped into the enemy's small boat without orders from the general, whereby a few escaped, while others had recourse to our own small boat. Thus eight or ten of them contrived to escape, without waiting for anything else. A little before this, they addressed the general, Antonio de Morga, saying: "Escape, your Grace, for the ship is sinking." He answered that it was not suitable to his reputation to leave his ship and not die with all the others, from which answer it was understood that, in case the ship went down, he was confident of his own strength and dexterity. The rest of our men—it may be seen what sort of men they were—seeing that the vessel was settling little by little, and that the enemy did not cease to serve their guns, huddled together in fright as they saw their ship filling with water—a state of affairs which would make others undertake not only the exploit of boarding the ship and mastering it, but even more difficult enterprises. In short, by the just judgments of God, which our sinful countrymen so well deserved, He disturbed their minds and deserted them, so that they would make no effort, excepting a few—of whom I shall make particular mention below, because they deserve it. There was one who, in order that he might take them with him, ordered a gold chain and other jewels brought to him. Seeing things in this condition and the danger so evident, a father of the Society, by name Father Santiago, took a crucifix in his hands, and commenced to call out to the Christian Spaniards: "Where is that courage of yours? See, this is the cause of God! Die, die like good soldiers of Jesus Christ! If you do not care to be food for fishes, consider that the lesser of the two evils which threaten us is to board that ship of the enemy, for if we are losing one ship, we are gaining another." After this exhortation, several men hastened to board their enemy's ship. Those who did not do it were prevented by two reasons: first, because they saw a fire breaking out on the enemy's ship, caused by some charges of powder which they set off purposely to terrify our men, and make them believe that they were about to blow up the ship; the second, because our pilot told them that, although the ship was so full of water up to the second deck, all hands could be saved even if the ship were lost, as the distance from there to the island of Fortuna was little more than one-half legua, and, if they would cast loose from the enemy and crowd on sail, their purpose would be just as well effected. The idea of escaping with their lives seemed very attractive to all, and accordingly this plan was immediately put into execution. They began to cut the cables and to cast loose from the enemy. In a few moments our ship started off in such a way that they saw the dead bodies of drowned men floating about between decks. The general, upon seeing this, began to strip off his clothing, at the persuasion of a private servant of his named Josepe Denaveda, who gave him a mattress of [ MS. worn ] on which the two naked men threw themselves into the sea. Many others did likewise, though only a few reached shore. Our ship gave a lurch and foundered, carrying down with it all those whom fear of their inability to swim prevented from taking to the water—some of whom were armed—so that the majority of the men were carried down with the ship. Many who were very good swimmers were dragged to the bottom by the force of the suction. All our men who were still on the surface tried by all the means in their power to save their lives. It was the unhappy fate of some of them to reach the enemy's ship itself where those heretics hastened to receive them with pikes, and speared them with great cruelty. Among those they wounded Captain Gomez de Molina with a lance; however he continued to swim thus wounded, until he reached the shore, where he died from loss of blood, at the water's edge. In this way many died, and those who escaped took shelter on the island of Fortuna, eighteen leguas from the city, until some vessels might pass by. At this moment the small Portuguese ship, seeing the outcome, laid its course to Malaca, because it had arrived only at that moment. Our ship had grappled with the enemy for six hours, from eight in the morning until two in the afternoon, when the former foundered. Admiral Joan de Alcaga, who was chasing the enemy's almiranta, overtook it, and after he had fired two or three volleys of his artillery, musketry, and arquebuses, he grappled it on its stern-quarter on the starboard side. Our men immediately boarded the enemy, the said admiral being among the first. The enemy defended themselves well, serving their artillery and thrice setting a fire purposely with some powder cartridges, but our men hastened to put out the fire with buckets of water. The enemy seeing the strength of their assailants and how unfortunately the action was turning out, because the best of them were killed, honorably surrendered. Admiral Joan de Alcaga agreed, and so they were captured with nineteen men alive. On our side only one man was killed by a gun-shot, one Joan Baptista de Mondragon, a nephew of the precentor in the cathedral at Manila. Another from the Canarias was drowned while trying to jump from one ship to the other. Some were seriously wounded; the captain and master of our almiranta, Joan Lopez de Serra, was shot through the thigh, and a certain Calderon was shot through one side of his shoulder and part of his arm. There were others wounded, but none seriously. Some booty was found on the vessel, two pipes of oil and two of wine, a number of basins, candlesticks, and brass mortars, iron in plates and bars, and some other small wares of little value. They captured twelve pieces of artillery—eight heavy and excellent pieces of cast iron, and four small ones. Among other things captured, was found a small iron coffer which was kept in the after-cabin, and in which the admiral carried the papers and commissions which the prince of Orange had given him when he appointed him captain of that ship. One was in his own tongue and the other in ours, which is the one copied at the end of this relation. One or two charts were found, which they brought for Piru; these the holy Inquisition has in its possession. Then Admiral Joan de Alcega ordered a few sailors to be transferred to the ship surrendered by the enemy, and set them to making repairs in order to take it into Manila; for its main mast and rigging were lost, and our men in boarding left nothing standing by which they could navigate. They took it to an island near by, called Luban, While there, our men sighted a dismantled ship which seemed to be coming toward them, which they took to be the enemy's flagship, which was already ours, and that it was being sent, like their own, to be repaired. Their expectation was not unfounded, for they had seen our men in it and heard them shouting, "Victory!" so that it seemed to them that nothing else could be possible. But in actual truth it was the enemy, who was coming, upon seeing his almiranta, to see if he could assist it. But when the enemy saw the two ships close together, and heard no noise of guns, he tacked about, and hitherto nothing has been known of his whereabouts. It is believed that his flagship was badly injured and battered, since it did not wait, although victorious by having sent our flagship to the bottom. However, we may give credit to some who said that when they were in the water, they saw the crew of the enemy casting lances at our men who were swimming, whom they could overtake. Our almiranta, after its recent success, set sail to return to Manila, where they thought that our flagship was calmly lying at anchor. They arrived at Mariveles and there they heard of the misfortune our people had suffered. The admiral sent a messenger to the governor of this city to procure his orders, and to tell him that he was waiting there. He was ordered to follow instantly and pursue the enemy as far as Malaca, or wherever else he might hear that he was. Immediately he received another order to cruise among those islands—when, if he should not find the enemy, he was to return. This he did after sending the survivors of the enemy to this city. The admiral himself came later to the city, and the governor ordered him to be arrested, but afterward set him at liberty. I do not know what justification there was for either act. After all this, the governor, with perfect justice, notwithstanding the word that Admiral Joan de Alcega had pledged to them, ordered all the prisoners to be garroted. [28] This sentence was fulfilled and executed upon thirteen of them because the rest were boys. The latter, who are not young children, are divided among the monasteries, with I know not what end in view. Twelve [of those executed] died good Catholics and converts, and with many tears, so that the religious were obliged to administer the most holy sacrament of the eucharist to them. The Confraternity of La Sancta Misericordia buried them with great charity. The only one who refused conversion was the English admiral [Lambert Biezman], the most stubborn fellow [29] and the most obstinate heretic I have ever seen in my life. According to the reports received, a total of one hundred and thirty-seven men were killed or drowned. Copy of the commission which was found in the iron box (This is a faithful and exact copy of a letter and patent, written lengthwise on white parchment in large letters, and illuminated with letters of gold. The first line is covered with a pendent seal of red wax, the size of a consecrated wafer. This document appears to have been issued by Mauricio de Nashau, who styles himself "Prince of Orange," as commission for the captain or second in command of a certain armed fleet, and is countersigned by J. Melander; its tenor is as follows. [30]) Mauricio, Prince of Orange; Count of Nasau, Catzenelleboghen, and Bietz; Marquis of Veer and Flissinge; governor, captain-general, and admiral of the United Provinces of Flandes, etc.: To all who see or hear these presents, our affectionate greeting, etc. Whereas, in order to contract friendship with certain foreign nations and kingdoms, and for many other considerations, we have seen fit to send a goodly number of vessels, in good order and well equipped, to the coasts of Asia, Africa, and America, and the islands of Eastern Yndia, to make treaties and carry on trade with the subjects and inhabitants thereof; and because we have been informed that the Spanish and the Portuguese are hostile to the subjects of these provinces, and obstruct their navigation and commerce in those parts, contrary to all natural right of all cities and nations; we have found it necessary to entrust, to certain valiant and experienced captains, the task of executing this our intention. Being well-informed of the fidelity and experience of Esaias de Lende, we have appointed him captain of the ship named "La Concordia," of about fifty toneladas register, with very detailed and explicit orders to go to the said islands, to resist and make war on, and to harm and injure as far as possible, all the said Spanish and Portuguese, and any others who attempt to obstruct them in their duties, and in the performance of everything which shall be further commanded by their admiral and captain-general, Olivier van Noordt. That he may execute this, his commission and charge, with greater facility and readiness, we have ordered that he shall raise as many men as he shall deem necessary, and as shall be entrusted to him by the said admiral. We strictly order these men to obey and respect the said captain, and to obey all his orders to them in the name of the said admiral. In everything else he shall do all that a good and faithful captain is bound and obliged to do—always excepting that neither he nor any of his men shall dare to do any harm or injury to the subjects of his imperial Majesty, or those of the kings of Francia, Anglatierra, Escocia, Denemarqua, Suedia, and Polonia, or of the princes of the Empire, [31] or of any other rulers who are friends of these provinces, or inclined to the true Christian religion. Therefore we request and require all the said kings and princes, and all other states, and all persons whom the said Esaias de Lende shall encounter; and we also give express orders to all admirals, vice-admirals, colonels, captains, and other military men on sea or land, and others who are under the government of these provinces and owe them obedience—to recognize him as captain of the said ship, and to allow him, with the said ship and crew, not only to go and trade wherever he shall please, but also to assist him, and extend him all favor, aid, and succor, from which we shall receive great and especial favor and satisfaction. We will render favors to them on like occasions, and our people will perform for them the services for which they are under obligation. Given at La Haya [The Hague], on the twelfth of May in the year one thousand five hundred and ninety-eight. Maurici de Nashau By order of his Excellency: J. Melander [This is followed by a certificate (dated February 6, 1601) of the accuracy of the copy, with the statement that the original had been delivered to the royal notary for copying by Doctor Antonio de Morga.] Documents of 1601 Report to the governor, on the battle with the Dutch. Antonio de Morga, January 5. Annual letters from the Philippine Islands. Francisco Vaez, S.J.; June 10. Letter to Felipe III. Diego Garcia, S.J.; July 8. Letter from the fiscal to Felipe III. Hieronimo de Salazar y Salcedo; July 16. Complaint of the cabildo of Manila against Morga. Gonzalo Ronquillo de Vallesteros, and others; July 20. Letter to Felipe III. Antonio de Morga; July 30. Grant to Jesuit school in Cebú. Council of Indias; December 11. Sources : All these documents save one are obtained from MSS. in the Archivo general de Indias, Sevilla; the second is taken from John Hay's compilation De rebus Iaponicis, Indicis, et Pervanis (Antverpiæ, M. DC. v.), pp. 950-968, from the copy in the Library of Congress. Translations : The first and fourth of these documents are translated by Norman F. Hall, of Harvard University; the second, by Henry B. Lathrop, of the University of Wisconsin; the third, fifth, and sixth, by Robert W. Haight; the seventh, by James A. Robertson. Morga's Report to the Governor on the Battle with the Dutch Copy of a petition of Dr. Antonio de Morga to the governor, in which he gives an account of all that happened in the expedition against the Dutch corsair, presented as soon as he returned from it. This is a copy well and faithfully made from a petition which it seems was presented by Dr. Antonio de Morga, auditor of the royal Audiencia of these islands, to Don Francisco Tello, knight of the Order of Santiago, who is governor and captain-general of these islands. This is in connection with a suit brought by order of the said governor against Joan de Alcega, admiral of the royal fleet which went against the Dutch enemy which was sailing among these islands. The said auditor was commander-in-chief of this fleet, and the admiral was the said Joan de Alcega, who deserted the royal flagship in time of battle. It runs as follows: I, Dr. Antonio de Morga, auditor of the royal Audiencia and Chancilleria of these Philipinas Islands, say that in the month of October just passed, in the year one thousand six hundred, there came to these Islands for the purpose of robbery one Oliver de Nor, corsair and a heretic, and a native of the states of Flandes, with two men-of-war well provided with men, artillery, and munitions. One of the two ships was large and strong, and was the flagship; the other, smaller and of less importance and strength, was the admiral's ship. With these he had entered the South Sea through the Strait of Magallanes, and skirted the coast of Chile; and then came and anchored outside the entrance to these islands, in the bay of Alvay. After making inquiries about affairs in these islands, and finding that there was no fleet, and no arrangement by which one that could molest him could be created, he passed by Capul and proceeded on his way until he reached the mouth of the bay of this city of Manila. There he made some captures and committed some robberies on vessels which entered, and he was hoping to commit greater ones on the ships which are expected this year, both from China and from Nueva España, with the money belonging to these islands. On this account your Lordship, together with the royal Audiencia, by a decree in due form dated the last day of the aforesaid month of October, commanded me to go to the port of Cavite and to place it and keep it in a state of defense; and likewise to finish some vessels which had been begun there in the dockyard, and to prepare and put in order those which could be used quickly for a fleet to go out and resist and punish the enemy. By working personally day and night, without having anything given to me for it, I put all this into operation with the greatest diligence and care, in thirty-two days. When I came to this city to give your Lordship an account of the good condition of the fleet—in order that it might be immediately arranged who was to go out in it, and the soldiers and seamen who were to embark—considering the fact that the corsair still remained near this bay, your Lordship, influenced by urgent causes and reasons, ordered and commanded me in writing, in the name of our lord the king, to set out with the volunteers of this city, who were placed at my disposal for this expedition. It was understood that I was to conduct this expedition, and, with another body composed of hired soldiers from this district, was to go out as quickly as possible in search of the enemy, and was to fight with him until I overcame him or sent him to the bottom. There were many other conditions which are contained more fully in the letter of instructions which your Lordship gave me, signed and sealed, to which I refer. In fulfilment of this, and only for the service of God and of our lord the king (which service your Lordship commended to me so strongly), leaving my house and quiet life, leaving my wife and nine children, I obeyed your Lordship's command. At my own cost, without having anything supplied from the royal treasury either to myself or to the volunteers who were with me, and who formed the larger part of all the body, I embarked on the fleet on the twelfth day of the month of December of the aforesaid year, taking as flagship the vessel "San Diego," which is of about two hundred tons burden; and in its convoy the ship "San Bartolome" as admiral's ship, of the same burden, in command of the captain Joan de Alçega, admiral of the fleet, and other small vessels for the service of the fleet. That same day I set sail from the port of Cavite in search of the enemy; and on the following Thursday, the fourteenth of December, I came in sight of him. Both ships of his fleet were anchored near the mouth of the bay at the point of Balagtigui, with his boats at the stern. The flagship of the enemy, from behind, was very easily seen to be a strong vessel, but the admiral's ship was not. When he discovered the two ships of the royal fleet and saw that we were keeping together, in order jointly to board and attack his flagship, he weighed anchor; and, after sending the said admiral's ship out to sea under all sail, in order to divide us, thinking that one of our ships would go after it, he with his flagship luffed toward our vessels, in order to get to windward of us, which he was not able to accomplish. On the contrary, when I discovered the number and excellence of his artillery, with which he began to cannonade me, I saw that success must consist in coming hand to hand with him as soon as possible, with both of our vessels, according to the arrangement which I had made on the day before, the thirteenth of December, when I had given orders and instructions to that effect in writing to the said admiral. So with my flagship I boarded the corsair's flagship, and grappled with it side to side, on the port quarter of the enemy, in the expectation that my admiral would do the same on the other side, as he was perfectly able to do. At the first volley from the artillery and arquebuses I swept the deck of the enemy, unrigged his main and mizzen masts, sent his yards and shrouds into the sea, burned his sails, and won and took into my power the flag at the topmast, the standard and flag at the stern, and the others which the ship bore. Then I sent on board of him a band of men with arms and a banner of infantry, who captured the poop and the cabin and took the shallop or long-boat which it had at the stern. All the enemy retired below the harpings and coverings at the bow. Seeing from there that my admiral was already coming upon them, and that they could not defend themselves, they sent to ask protection for their lives, and to say that they would surrender; and I granted their request, in order to end the battle with the least possible loss and with the greatest safety. At this time the admiral's ship of my fleet ought to have boarded the enemy as I had done, according to his duty, and to the order which he had from me; and, without orders from me, ought not to have passed by, and still less to have gone in pursuit of, the opposing admiral's ship which was going out to sea. These orders, for many reasons, I could not be expected to give him, especially at that time, until the flagship had completely surrendered and a guard had been placed over it and over the people on it, which would be impossible with my ship alone. Nevertheless our admiral aforesaid, for some reasons of his own which he had, passed by, and with all sail started to pursue and overtake the admiral's ship of the corsair. When the enemy on the flagship saw this, and that they were alone, and that, on account of the superiority of his ship and artillery, he might hope to defend himself, he turned a deaf ear to the terms which I sent him; and he not only did not surrender, but he put himself on the defensive, and fought with me with all the fury of his artillery and of his musketry, from both sides of the ship, and with fire contrivances, with which he was well supplied. The battle lasted six hours, with both ships lashed side to side, but in all this time my admiral aforesaid did not leave his course, or return to succor or help me. On the contrary he began, in our sight, to fight with the admiral's ship of the enemy, which he had overtaken, and he easily captured it because it was a very small ship, with about twenty-two men, including boys and the sick; and after it had surrendered he remained there, instead of returning to help me in time of battle. The enemy killed ten or twelve Spaniards of my men, and some Indians of the service, and on his side most of his men died; so that, being still so hard pressed, he himself set fire to his ship of his own accord, at the stern, where our men were on the poop with the banner. The fire so increased there that we feared that both ships were going to be consumed. Furthermore, my flagship, which was not a strong one, having been made especially for the merchant trade, sprang a leak at the bow with the force of the artillery which had been fired in this long combat; and it made water so fast that nothing could be done, because we had no pumps, as they had been knocked to pieces by one of the enemy's shot. On this account, by the advice and counsel of the chief pilot and of the seamen who understood the situation, I was asked to loosen myself from the enemy and to go to save my ship (or at least the artillery and men on it) at the island of Fortun, which was to leeward of us a legua and a half away, and which they said we could reach quickly. When I saw the opinion of the aforesaid men and the danger which my ship was in, both from the fire on the enemy and from the risk of sinking, I followed the advice; and, having withdrawn the men and the banner that I had on the poop-castle of the corsair's ship, which was left, as I have said, so broken and disabled, I started for the aforesaid island of Fortun to make repairs; but the water which the ship was taking in increased so that all at once the ship sank. When the enemy saw himself alone, with the few men that he had, he hastily began to put out the fire on his ship; and with the foresail, which he had had up all the time, he took flight toward the island of Luban, where he has not appeared since that day, nor in any other of the adjacent islands. From this and from the fact that he was so broken and so stripped of men and without any long-boat, it may be inferred that he went to the bottom. Some indications of this have been seen since in the shape of yards and sails, and bodies of the enemy's men, so that we may presume that it is so. When the flagship of the fleet on which I was went to the bottom, there was no shallop or boat to saye the men, because the boats had been taken by some sailors and soldiers, who to escape the danger, had gone with them to the aforesaid island of Fortun. Consequently when the ship sank I was left in the water, and saved myself at the end of four hours by swimming with great exertion to the island of Fortun, which was a legua and a half away, against many waves and a high wind. The same thing was done by two hundred other persons, including Spaniards and slaves, but the rest drowned and perished, with what was left in the ship. Then I made haste to take all the people from that island, because it was without inhabitants and without water, and I started them on the way to this city. After that I went along the coast to get information about the enemy which had fled, and in search of the admiral's ship and of the captured vessel; but I could not find them, nor could I in the islands of that district, although I searched among them in light vessels, for they had departed thence. At last, having heard that they were near Mariveles, I came to claim them, but did not enter them because your Lordship wrote to me, at just that time, to come to this city on other business in the service of his Majesty. Thus that expedition ended. It is true that the desired end was accomplished—namely, to destroy the aforesaid corsair so that he should not be able to do the damage which he was doing in this sea, and to conquer him, which was done. Nevertheless it could have been accomplished fully without the loss which there was, if my orders had been followed in the aforesaid fleet, and if there had not been other transgressions and irregularities—which I should have proceeded against and executed justice upon if I had had opportunity to return to the aforesaid fleet, as I tried to do. Since on my part this is all ended, it remains for your Lordship, as captain-general of this realm, to take action in this cause—not only to execute whatever may be just in the matter, but also in order to give an account to our lord the king of what has happened. I have had this in mind in giving to your Lordship so faithful and exact an account of the case, and of the aforesaid irregularities, of which the ones that need particular attention are the following. First. When the fleet was on the point of setting out from the port of Cavite, although it was already scantily equipped with seamen and artillerymen (which was a matter of the greatest importance), the majority of those who had been provided and supplied absented themselves and fled from the aforesaid fleet at the time of setting out, so that they could not be reached; and the fleet had to go without them, which was the cause of a great deal of suffering and loss. It can be determined who were guilty of this through the lists of allowances and apportionment which are in the possession of the factor of the royal treasury, and through the register which the accountant afterwards made of both fleets at Mariveles. Item : Although your Lordship, at my request, had some seamen sought out in this city, and had them sent to me with the sergeant Pedro Lopez to Mariveles (where the fleet was anchored) on Wednesday, December thirteenth, and although the aforesaid men arrived on Wednesday, they refused to go on the expedition because they were men of wealth and property; and they did not go to the fleet that night, but went to the settlement on the island. There they remained until the fleet had gone in pursuit of the enemy in the early morning, when they left the village and returned to this city. Third. The Sangley nation of this city offered themselves, with three ships, according to their custom, to go in the service and convoy of the aforesaid fleet. They were armed and set out after it from Cavite for that purpose, but when they reached the station at Mariveles, where the fleet was anchored, they left it; and it was necessary to send to them and order that on the following day they should join the fleet and follow it without moving off, under pain of their lives. Not only did they not comply with this, but on the following day, when they saw the battle, they remained more than three leguas behind, looking at it; and although they could have been of great assistance, when they saw my flagship founder, they returned toward the bay, ringing bells and beating drums, as is their custom. Fourth. The aforesaid captain Joan de Alcega, admiral of the fleet, did not obey the orders and instructions which on the day before the battle I gave to him in writing, signed with my name, according to which both ships, flagship and admiral's ship, were to board and fight with the enemy's flagship, because it was a strong vessel. Nevertheless, though he had seen me board, he passed by without having an order from me to do so, and still less having any order to follow and to fight with the opposing admiral's ship, and thus abandon me. If he had done as he was under obligation to do, the flagship would have been made to surrender completely without the loss of one of our men; and we could have captured for his Majesty a beautiful ship and twenty-six pieces of artillery, and many other things of price and value for all, and my flagship would not have been lost, and the people of worth who died in it would not have perished. After that, it would have been a sure and easy thing to capture the admiral's ship, which was a small boat, of no strength. Your Lordship should send promptly to the admiral to write the instructions which I gave him originally in Mariveles on the thirteenth of December by the hand of the captain Joan Tello y Aguirre, who came for them—signed with my name, without any erasures or changes whatever—because through them the above matter will be verified, without any fraud or deceit. Fifth. After my flagship had foundered, the enemy in his, as broken as it was, took to flight with only the foresail up, and passed within sight of the admiral's ship of my convoy, and although the admiral was aware of my loss, and that that was the enemy's ship, and made sail after her, he did not try to follow her; and so he let her go, although he could easily have overtaken her, as she bore only the foresail, and could have captured her, as she was so broken and without men. Most of us who were on the island of Fortun saw this from there; and the captive Flamenco admiral will say the same thing, as well as those who came in our admiral's ship and remained in it. Item : Although our admiral's ship ought to have come in search of its flagship, which it saw sinking in the sea from its companion ship—or at least in aid of its men who had escaped to the island of Fortun, which was near, in order to rescue us from that island, uninhabited and without water, where we were in evident risk of our lives—yet he did not do it. On the contrary, he went away with all speed, and returned to the mainland to the station of Mareyuma; consequently we could not find him, and he could not receive orders from me, his commander, concerning what he was to do in such matters as following the aforesaid enemy (in which a great opportunity was lost), as well as in other things in the service of his Majesty which ought to have been done. Seventh and last. Although the aforesaid admiral ought not to have allowed out of his convoy the vessel which he had captured and taken from the enemy, so that it might not be lost again on account of his having put very few men on it, he left it; and, under pretense that he was sending it to be repaired, he ordered it to the island of Luban with other intentions—where on the same day, near night-time, there appeared the flagship of the enemy, which, if it had seen this ship, could have seized and taken it easily, because it was without defense. Then, without having been repaired, it left Luban and returned to the aforesaid admiral's ship at Mareyuma. Of all this your Lordship is sufficiently informed through the reports which have been sent to your Lordship about the aforesaid event, and through the investigations made by the alcalde-mayor of the province of Balayan, in whose territory and under whose jurisdiction the event took place. Your Lordship will also be informed by the searchings and investigations which your Lordship ought to make concerning the aforesaid case and every particular of it, personally and very soon, before the guilty ones pervert them so that the truth may not be understood. They have been preparing for this, holding investigations before themselves in the admiral's ship, about their own affairs and business; but opportunity ought not to be given for these, nor any attention paid to them, for they are void and fraudulent, and malicious. I ask and pray your Lordship to do and perform in this matter, since it is of such quality and importance, whatever may be proper in the service of God and of his Majesty, so that those may be punished who are guilty in a matter of such harm and loss, and that our lord the king and the gentlemen of his Council of the Indias may be informed faithfully of all that has happened and of what has been done—since, as far as I am concerned in this matter, as there no longer remains to me any authority or jurisdiction of commander in the fleet, I have done my duty. For this I have, etc., and ask it for testimony. Doctor Antonio de Morga In Manila, on the fifth of the month of January in the year one thousand six hundred and one, before the governor and captain-general of these islands, Don Francisco Tello, appeared the doctor Antonio de Morga, and presented this petition; and when his Lordship had seen it, he ordered it to be joined with the investigation which the alcalde-mayor of Balayan made, in order that the other proper verifications may be made according to what is provided, and that whatever is just may be done. Tello Before me: Gaspar de Azebo This copy was made, as has been said, from the aforesaid original petition, which is in the aforesaid suit of petition and mandate by the aforesaid auditor, and is exact and correct. In the city of Manila, on the twentieth of the month of November in the year one thousand six hundred and two; the witnesses being: Joan P[ablo?] Monfredo, and Gregorio del Castillo, and Josephe de Naveda Alvarado. In testimony of truth, I have affixed my seal. Joan Paez de Sotomayor , royal notary. We, the notaries who sign here, certify and give our word that Joan Paez de Sotomayor, by whom this testimony is signed and sealed, is a royal notary, as he signs himself, and commissioner of the royal Audiencia of these islands; and, as such, complete faith and credit has been given and is given to all acts and writings which have passed and do pass before him, in court and out of it. And, to certify to this, we give these presents in Manila on the twentieth of November in the year one thousand six hundred and two. I have affixed my seal, in witness of truth. Francisco de Valencia , notary-public. I have affixed my seal, in testimony of truth. Jhoan Francisco Aparicio , notary-public. Annual Letters from the Philippine Islands From Father Francisco Vaez, [32] June 10, 1601, to Reverend Father Claudio Aquaviva, general of the Society of Jesus. Amid all the calamities and miseries which it has pleased the Lord to inflict on these islands, the chief has been the loss of some ships which were wrecked, including among others the flagship and the ship of the second in command. They set sail from this coast during the last year, 1600, for Nueva España, being laden with a large amount of treasure and merchandise; and by them the records of this province and the letters from Japan for your Paternity were sent. But, after sailing for eight months, these ships encountered a violent contrary wind, and, having on board a great number of sailors, were gradually driven back by sickness, hunger, and the fury of the waves, which swept the men from the very decks of the ships to be drowned in the waters. The vessels struck on rocks and were wrecked, a few men only being rescued, like the servants of Job, from the immediate danger, to announce the destruction—which, being increased by one misfortune and mishap in war after another, heaped sorrow upon us. On one of these ships, called the "San Geronimo," was Father Pedro Lopez de Parra, a professed religious of our Society—who, as we trust, after this long voyage (or rather that longer one of thirty-seven years in religion), has entered the gate of eternal life, laden with a rich treasure of good works. He taught philosophy and theology in Nueva España, having been one of the first members of the Society formerly sent thither; he trained our ministers with fruitful results. Although we have heard nothing certain with regard to the details of his death, yet, as he took great delight in the duty of hearing confessions and helping souls, it is likely that with great devotion he aided all in that extremity of danger. [33] In another disaster we have lost another priest and a brother, if loss be the proper name to give to the death of those who have been slain for the gain of souls, and while aiding their brethren in a just war against heretic pirates. These were Hollanders and Zeelanders who were driven to the Philippine Islands in the year 1600, and came to get booty on the sea called the Northern Ocean, or "Mar del Norte" (for they had already made spoil of a Portuguese ship), and, after passing the Strait of Magellan, had, in that southerly ocean called "Mar del Sur," done likewise with a small vessel from Peru. Their leading vessels, the flagship and the almiranta, took a station six leagues from Manila, where the Spanish, Japanese, and Chinese ships had to unload their cargoes, and to which all the smacks and other small boats that left the city had to hold their course. Against these ships of the enemy there were sent out from Manila two ships provided with three hundred of the best soldiers of these islands, together with many bombards and other equipments of war. In the chief ships were Father Diego de Santiago and Brother Bartolomeo Calvo, at the request of the general, Antonio de Morga, auditor of the royal Audiencia, and of other officers of rank, who were accustomed to confess to the said father. Now when the father had exerted himself to receive the confessions of the soldiery, and had exhorted them to fight bravely, on the fourteenth of December they came in sight of the enemy; and the flagship spread its sails and bore down so swiftly on the other flagship that the passage from one to the other was easy. In the conflict our men tore away the enemy's flags and carried them back to their own ship, shouting, "Victory!" with joyful voices. Just then our ship, having taken in a great quantity of water from all sides, was by the permission of God suddenly swallowed in the waves with all the sailors, except a few who by the help of a skiff captured from the Dutch, or by swimming, made their way to land. The general was one who threw himself into the water with two flags of the enemy's. Then the almiranta, having encountered the enemy's almiranta, captured it, and carried it away to Manila, where punishment was inflicted on all the sailors. Among the number of those on our side who were slain or drowned, a hundred and fifty-nine in all, Father Diego was drowned. He had heard, as it appeared, the confessions of all; and as he was making the effort to throw himself clear into the sea, he was called back by the voice of a captain desiring to make his confession. While he was hearing the confession he was drowned, with the brother and the rest. The father was in the twenty-ninth year of his age, and had lived fifteen years in the Society. The brother, his companion, was of the same age, and had lived in the Society seven years; he had entered it in these regions. He was a man endowed with every virtue, being especially noteworthy for his obedience, to which he was always greatly inclined. Of the brethren there has also died Martin Sanchez, a native of these islands, who was for a decade a member of the Society, and who left a glorious example in life and death. There remain in this vice-province thirty priests and twenty-nine brethren (of whom two are scholastics and four novices)—those nine being included whom your Paternity has sent hither with Father Gregorio Lopez, in whom this vice-province assuredly receives a great assistance. As it is of later birth, more scantily supplied with workers, and further from Rome, it is likewise poorer; and, as the younger daughter, ought to be the dearer and more precious to your Paternity. College of Manila There live in this college (the leading one [34] in this vice-province) seventeen of Ours—seven priests and ten brethren. All of them, by the favor of divine Providence, have by their example and labor brought in a rich harvest from the spiritual tilling of this city. This has been added to on account of the war and the earthquake, the loss of the ships, and other calamities; and we have learned by experience that piety grows more rapidly in adverse than in prosperous fortune. The earthquake has made us hesitate to go on with the completion of the college buildings, for we are compelled first to repair what has already fallen or is on the verge of ruin. Last year we wrote that on the twenty-first of June the main part of the nave of the church had fallen; but in this year of 1601, on the sixteenth of January, the other part corresponding to it was overthrown, and the rest so shaken that it had to be leveled with the ground. We regard it as a great blessing that these buildings fell without injuring anyone, although the first of the earthquakes came while the people were in the church at mass, the other when it was least expected. The people of Manila have accordingly been warned by Ours of the daily peril of life on earth, and have begun to lift up their hearts to heaven, and to pray for its care and protection. By a happy lot it has been obtained for them by the patronage and advocacy of St. Polycarp, [35] bishop and martyr, the disciple of St. John the Evangelist; and in his honor they have begun to celebrate an annual feast with a solemn procession. The beginning of another pious work has been made this year with marked results. This is the practice of scourging, not as hitherto on three days in Lent, but every Friday throughout the year, in our church. There is a great concourse of people at that time to hear the fiftieth psalm, Miserere , by the melancholy harmony of which they are most moved to devotion and to doing penance. Not infrequently the royal auditors and the governor himself have been present, as well as other leading men. Those in prison also have been aided by the reception of sacramental confessions and by pious exhortations; and—a thing that has edified the people not a little—the necessary food was for some days carried all the way to the prisons on our shoulders. From children, too, the food of Christian doctrine has not been withheld on Sundays; and with the children arranged in the form of a procession we went out during Lent to the military barracks, where after delivering sermons we reaped fruit not to be ashamed of. The congregation of scholastics begun this year has made the best of progress. Every month, according to the rules, they make their confession to the priest, and partake of the divine food. On feast-days they spend the afternoons in listening to spiritual reading and in commemorating the examples of the saints. The solemn feasts of the Blessed Virgin they celebrate with the greatest fervor and joy. On one of these they go with their cloaks cast off, each with a silver ewer and basin in his hands, and carry food to the prisons, marching in the finest order and system; and with great readiness and humility they serve the unhappy men. They are believed to have taken their manner of procedure, in all respects, from the congregation at Rome. The privileges of the Sodality, also, have so much attracted laymen that it has been necessary to divide them into two orders. As for the adult men and householders who look forward to spending Sundays and feast-days to advantage in the Sodality, the father-visitor has made a beginning, by delivering to them familiar exhortations, and narratives of pious examples taken from the Lives of the Saints; and we have every reason to hope that the undertaking will succeed to the greater glory of God, with the most noble of advantages to the city. Even now there are some who, having heard one or another sermon, have entered upon more holy and profitable ways of living than they followed before. A beginning was also made this year in selecting some saint's name by lot (a custom introduced in some towns); and there has been a great concourse of people. One man was plunged into the sea along with many others in the naval battle with the Dutch already spoken of; but because he invoked the name of his patron, St. Nicanor, who had fallen to his lot that month, he was rescued from that danger in which the others were swallowed up; and by swimming a whole league at last got to shore, to his own great wonder. The number of those confessing and communicating this year has surpassed that of any previous year, for upon their old devotion has been heaped up new, kindled by the torches of calamity. The quarrels of many have also been brought to an end. In Lent, moreover, their zeal for all piety flamed forth in the confession of many evils, and in doing penance for them with daily scourgings, and other exercises of devotion. The chastity of a certain woman was assailed by some of the wicked, with entreaties and the bestowal of gifts; but by the weapons of more frequent communion and confession she repulsed the attacks of the enemy. Yet even then the enemy was not made entirely to desist. One day, after the holy communion, which she had devoutly taken in our church, she was walking in a lonely place; and there he came up to her, and with his dagger at her bosom, he threatened her with death unless she consented to wickedness. But she answered with firmness that she preferred death to offending God. Then with blows and words of insult she vanquished the beastly desires of her adversary, barely escaping with her honor. Another, giving up all thought of God and of his own salvation, had spent many years in dreadful sin, and especially in a disgraceful lust, which was so deeply rooted and fixed in his innermost heart that he regarded our priest, who strove to lead him away from this vile manner of life, as only less than a fool. So completely had he plunged himself into the filth of these pollutions of his soul that, like a sow in a wallow, he seemed to take pleasure in nothing else. Yet at last this obstinate man yielded to argument and persuasion, and not only gave up visiting his harlot, but tore all lust from his heart by the roots as completely as if he had had no knowledge of it; for by a general confession of the lapses of his past life he so corrected his morals that all those who knew him before were amazed at the sudden change in his life. When the Dutch pirates of whom we have spoken were condemned to death in Manila by the judges, the governor thought it well to entrust them to several religious, as they might perhaps abjure their errors and be reconciled to Holy Church. It pleased the divine goodness to restore all, to the number of thirteen, except the admiral, who as an obstinate heretic was hanged and cast into the sea. The others with so great sorrow for their crimes subjected themselves to the obedience of the holy Roman church that it seemed good to the religious fathers to admit them to the holy communion. Of five commended to our Society I can affirm that they greatly edified all, for they made a confession of the sins of all their life and approached the holy communion with many tears, having previously made public profession of the Roman Catholic faith and abjured their heresies, being prepared to live and die in the said faith. Two days later, with rosaries around their necks they were led forth to the place of execution in great joy of mind that they could atone for their sins by death. Our Order has been no less occupied with the Indians in these regions than with others—partly because there is a greater number of them gathered in this town of Manila than anywhere else, partly because they feel a greater good-will toward the members of the Society than toward any others. They never lack some one of Ours to aid their confessions; and they would need old priests the year round, if there were so many who understood the language, to hear the confessions of all. They greatly affect the holy communion, and report wonderful fruit from it. Every week, on Saturday, very many hasten to perform their discipline with the others; and more would come if the city gates which separate the Indians from the Spaniards were not closed at nightfall. Indeed many do not fear to creep through the little hole in the gates in order not to neglect that salutary penance. They hasten, too, on the Sabbath to hear the sacrament of the mass of the Blessed Virgin, and in Lent to hear sermons, and that in such numbers that, although our church is of considerable size, they fill it completely. And when it was overthrown by the earthquake, they all hastened together, down to the very children, to give their help in carrying stones away. It was a delightful sight to see them swarming like ants upon the rubbish and the wall—men and women, young and old, powdered with dust and lime, carrying baskets on their shoulders and vying with each other in carrying off the ruins so as to clear the space. The girls' sodality, recently introduced among the natives, has marvelously roused all the others. Sometimes they have fed the poor with such liberality that much was left for the prisoners and other needy persons. After the meal was over, they poured water for the hands of the poor persons, and kissed them; and then the poor persons fell on their knees and prayed God for their benefactors. At another place these same Indian members of sodalities went to the Indian hospital and there gave their aid to the sick by making their beds and digging up the ground for them—a thing worthy of special admiration in this race, for they abhor visiting hospitals. The sodality members, although poor, offer the usual alms to the church and to those who are in need. They are given to hearing sermons and to fasting, being content for whole weeks with bread and water. They are glad to go to our churches for confession and spiritual instruction, and obtain great spiritual benefit and edification. A certain Christian woman who was for a long time held in slavery to the infidels in the islands of Mindanao and Borneo, which are given to the faith of Mahomet, could not be torn from the true belief, or be persuaded to the worship of idols, although she visited many of their places. An Indian man, who along with some others had made his confession that he might receive the holy communion, declares that he had kept silent as to the circumstances of some sins; and that in a vision he saw a beautiful child offering to him the holy eucharist. But when he answered that he was a great sinner, the child replied: "Thou are indeed not worthy of the communion, for in thy confession thou hast hidden such and such a circumstance." Therefore when he awoke he hurried to our church, revealed the vision to one of the fathers, and desired to repeat his confession. Another had so accustomed himself to the scourging of his body that one day when he was required to march with a troop of soldiers, he withdrew from it in the night, in order that he might not omit this holy exercise. When the officer of the infantry, going his rounds at night, secretly perceived this, he thought the man was meditating some mischief, and silently followed him. At last he saw him enter the cemetery of a church, and after pouring forth prayers to God, beat his back severely. When the scourging was finished, the officer approached; and when he recognized this Indian, he was even more edified. And when he asked him where he was from, he answered that he came from the city of Manila, and said that he was in the habit of confessing to Ours. The captain, marveling that a tyro in the Christian religion should take such care of his soul's health, gave him some money and told him to go back home, that he might not be perverted by the habits of the soldiery. A priest with a brother as his companion was sent off as on a mission to some Seilan villages, which, being without parish priests, needed instruction. When they reached there the plague was raging; and the father and brother freely assisted them, not only by the administration of the sacraments of confession and the communion, but by that of food, which was prepared in our church. On another mission performed by the rector of the college and another priest, there was a mighty fruit of their labors reaped in hearing confessions, in reconciling enemies, and in recalling the perverse to a better life. Twenty adults were initiated by the sacrament of baptism, having been imbued with the Christian faith by a certain blind man. He, though deprived of the use of his eyes, yet took such care of his catechumens that if a single one out of any number, however great, was missing, he regularly informed the father. We think the more of this from the fact that he who formerly was numbered among the catalons—that is, petty priests of idols—now since his conversion has become a teacher of Christian doctrine. Residence of Antipolo [36] In this residence are ordinarily maintained three priests, to care for the harvest of three thousand Christians. More than five hundred have been baptized this year. We have tested the great devotion of this people, and their rare sense of piety in frequenting the sacraments, in offering prayers, and in undergoing discipline and performing other good and edifying works; and, finally, there has been wrought in them all a great change in conduct. The father-visitor has laid the foundation of a hospital, which is of great importance. On the day when the roof was finished the father-visitor led them in serving the poor who were gathered there, by pouring water on their hands, and then kissing their hands on his bended knees, which example was followed by all the chief men there present. And thus the custom has been established that four members of the confraternity established for this purpose bring them their food every day. The same thing is done by the women for the sick of their sex.