The Philippine Islands, 1493 1898: Volume XVII, 1609 1616 by Various

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At dawn of the next day, December ten, the heretics began to attack
the almiranta. At the first volleys the admiral and five other men
were killed. The men were so disheartened by that event that they
began to jump overboard, and it was impossible for certain commanders
and brave soldiers, who were trying to defend the galleon, to prevent
them. But, as the enemy perceived them deserting the vessel, they
sent their lanchac and entered it; they first lowered the flag of
Christ from the masthead and placed it on their ship below that of
Count Mauricio. The vessel was already burning from the fire set by
our men, and accordingly the enemy deserted it quickly.

Our flagship kept up the fight longer, but at last men were lacking;
for, as the land was near, they tried to reach it in boats or by
swimming. The commander Francisco de Miranda Enriquez was left
with very few men; and they even, seeing that it was impossible to
defend themselves, were forced to land, after having set fire to the
galleon. It was a very fine and strong boat. It earned thirty-six
cannon, and had so much ammunition that when the fire reached the
powder magazine, the vessel blew up with so great a din, that it made
the entire city and the island of Malaca shake, and the vessel was
seen no more. This was different from the almiranta, which, when its
powder had been spent, was two days in burning. The dead and wounded on
our side number about one hundred. The enemy lost one of its vessels,
but was at last victorious. Then they went to the strait to await the
ships expected from China. In the city was little harmony, those of
the fleet and those of the city accusing one another of the fault [of
the defeat]. I reverenced the judgments of God, and considered that,
although there was some excess on both sides, the chief cause of so
great a loss was our sins. _Quia peccavimus tibi Domini_, etc. [88]

The largest fleet ever seen in these islands or perchance in the
Indias was prepared that year of 1615 in the port of Cabite. [89]
It seems a miraculous circumstance that so large a number of ships
could be gathered together in a land so recently conquered and peopled
with Spaniards, and the most remote and distant in all the Spanish
monarchy. It was the peculiar offspring of the magnanimous courage,
valor, and energy (never sufficiently praised) of Governor Don Juan
de Silva. It consisted of ten galleons, four galleys, one patache,
and other smaller craft: the flagship of the galleons, called "La
Salvadora," of two thousand tons burden; the almiranta, by name
"San Marcos," of one thousand seven hundred; "San Juan Bautista,"
and the "Espiritu Santo," of one thousand three hundred; "San Miguel"
and "San Felipe," of eight hundred; "Nuestra Senora de Guadalupe,"
and "Santiago," one hundred less; "San Andres," five hundred; and
"San Lorenco" (the smallest one), four hundred. The galleys were all
under the advocacy and name of the Virgin Mary, our Lady. Those craft
were armed and equipped with five thousand men, two thousand, or a
few less, being Spaniards; three hundred pieces of artillery--the
flagship alone carrying forty-six (the smallest of eighteen, while
the majority of them were twenty-two libras' caliber, and some were
thirty), and all were bronze, and it carried nine hundred men;
the almiranta seven hundred men, and thirty-two pieces; and the
other vessels in proportion. Of powder, they carried four thousand
five hundred arrobas; of biscuits, five thousand; of clean rice,
three thousand fanegas; and so on, in all the other war-supplies,
ammunition, and food. All this was at the king's account, not to
mention the private persons who embarked.

Among the other precautions that the governor took in order to
accomplish a successful result was one, namely, to ask the provincials
of the orders and their religious to aid--the one with their prayers
and continual sacrifices in their convents; and the other by religious
who were priests, to act as chaplains of the vessels. Six fell to
the share of the Society, two of whom embarked in the flagship,
in which were the chief Japanese of a company of that nation which
had been raised to serve as volunteers on that expedition, through
the vigilance of Father Garcia Garces, [90] a Castilian, one of the
exiles, whom the governor esteemed highly. Accordingly, the latter
ordered that the father should embark on the flagship, and with
him another religious of the Japanese nation, a person respected
because of his worth. In the galleon "San Juan Bautista" was Father
Pedro Gomez, rector of Maluco. He had gone to India, and returned
with the news of the four Portuguese galleons which were coming to
unite with our ten. As his associate went Father Manuel Ribeyro of
the province of Cochin and its subject. In the ship "San Felipe" was
Father Miguel Ignacio, at present rector of the residence of Zebu,
who, without urging the obligation of his office or the ill-health
that he was enjoying _[la poca salud, que gozaua]_, offered himself
so fervently to the superiors for that perilous mission, that they
had to yield to him. The commander of that ship has declared in his
many letters the talent of the said father as a preacher, and his
opinion of his sanctity; and how great was the esteem of the soldiers
and sailors for the abundant fruit that he had gathered in Cabite by
his apostolic preaching. His associate was Father Melchor de Vera,
[91] who had been in the expedition and victory of the year 10. Of
the other religious orders there were also some prominent members,
divided among the other boats.

That noble fleet could not set sail until the last day of that year of
1615. It had been collected with the intention of going straightway
in search of the enemy in their own forts and the chief stronghold
of Malayo. But as the galleons from India did not arrive, which they
had heard were wintering in Malaca; and knowing that at that time
some ships were generally awaiting in its strait the trading-ships
from China which pass that way, and that some good fortune could be
secured from them: the governor considered it advisable to lay his
course toward Malaca--whence he supposed that after the destruction
of the enemy that he would cause there, and after having joined the
Portuguese galleons, he would go straight to Malayo. It was a well
founded idea, but founded on an uncertain end as are all human ideas
and considerations. For besides that there were then no galleons in
Malaca, because they had been burned in the manner above related,
if the governor had not left these coasts, or at least had he sailed
directly to those of Maluco, and even without leaving the bay of
Manila, he would have had in a short time a victory equal to the
past, and would have destroyed the help that came, because of his
preparations, from Olanda by way of the coasts of Piru and Nueva-Espana
to these islands. For it happened that at the same time that Don Juan
de Silva was going out by way of Miriveles with his fleet, one of the
four governors of the state of Olanda was entering by way of Capulco
[i.e., Capul] with four large ships--his flagship being one called "Sol
de Olando" [i.e., "The sun of Holland"]--and two pataches. Those ships
were coming straight to anchor at the same entrance of Mariveles, by
which the fleet that we had fitted out had sailed one month previously.

That unlooked-for event caused great confusion in this city of Manila
and the port of Cabite. Licentiate Andres de Alcaraz and the gentlemen
of the royal Audiencia were governing. They put aside their togas and
girded on their swords. They divided the most dangerous and important
posts. One of them was charged with the fortification of Cabite, and
the repair of three galleys and other boats that had been going to
rack and ruin there; another with the casting of new pieces from the
little metal remaining in the royal magazines, and he, because by its
scarcity the sudden need for artillery could not be supplied, tried
to use the waste left from former castings, by digging and sifting the
earth around the ancient foundry. That was so excellent a scheme that
three thousand arrobas of metal were collected in a few days. It is
a cause for wonderment, and could not have been accomplished except
by Spanish activity, stimulated by necessity and the energy of the
Chinese, sharpened by the reward of three reals given them for each
arroba. More than one thousand five hundred persons worked at the
sifting, and at the casting of new pieces. As a result the necessary
cannon for the defense of Cabite and Manila were manufactured in a
short time.

To that and other temporal precautions and efforts, were added
at the same time the spiritual--acts of prayer and supplications,
the most holy host being exposed in the cathedral, the convents,
and the parochial churches, with the effect and devotion that
exigency and need are wont to stimulate. The image of our Lady of
Guidance was carried in solemn and devout procession from her church
(which is located in the suburbs of this city) to the cathedral,
where it was visited continually by the inhabitants, who could not
tear themselves from it. In our residence the most holy host was also
exposed to all the town; with the solemnity of service and sermon on
the day that belonged to it; while on all other days it was especially
exposed by Ours at the hour of prayer and devotion. Each priest was
ordered to say a novena of masses, and those who were not priests
a novena of rosaries, penitences, and other devotions. Similar and
even advantageous action was taken in the other convents, churches,
and communities of the city and surrounding villages.

The Lord, whose providence is always most notable in the greatest
exigencies, was pleased to hear the united voice of this community,
and induced our enemy, after they had lain at anchor for a fortnight
in the bay in sight of Manila, to hoist their sails; and without doing
more than seize one champan and send two letters by a prisoner--one
to the commander of their nation [i.e., van Caerden] who was a
prisoner here, and the other to the royal Audiencia, asking for his
ransom. But that could have no effect, for the miserable man had
died a short time before in his perfidy, exchanging his temporal
for the eternal prison. [After sending these letters] the enemy
returned to Terrenate, ridding this city of its great anxiety. On
that occasion the religious served not only with spiritual weapons,
but also with what temporal arms they could use and those that they
knew how to manage. Among others was one of our brethren, whom the
royal Audiencia charged with the management of the artillery of the
port of Cabite, because of his skill in the art and of his bravery,
which the occasion required. Another religious, also ours, by his
good management prevented the soldiers of Cabite from burning that
settlement, for they had already commenced at one of the houses,
where were collected the goods of the Portuguese commander, who had
come from Espana the year before as commander of certain caravels with
reenforcements from the kingdoms of Espana. They considered it less
wrong for us to burn them ourselves than to let the enemy make use
of them. But that religious with his arguments and good management
hindered it, and inspired them all to extinguish the fire. That was
a cause of rejoicing afterward, when they saw the enemy go away and
leave us, without forcing us to so costly a precaution.

While the above was passing in Manila, our fleet reached Malaca,
and entered the strait February twenty-five. The enemy had left
it one week previous, fleeing with all sails set, because of the
secret advice that they had received that our fleet was going in
search of them. The day following the arrival of our galleons,
the two Chinese trading-ships entered the same strait, bearing all
the wealth of India It was a most fortunate event and was worthily
celebrated by the public acclamations of the inhabitants of Malaca,
who called Governor Don Juan de Silva their redeemer. They received
him in their city under the pall, with demonstrations of joy and
honors as if he were a viceroy, for as such did they regard him;
and they assured themselves that with his valor and powerful fleet,
they were to deliver India from the inopportune war and the continuous
pillaging of the Dutch. But (O human misery!) fortune changed within a
few days, and all those hopes were frustrated; it brought the governor
to his bed with a mortal burning fever, which killed him in eleven
days. During the course of those eleven days the city made a public
procession from the cathedral church to the Misericordia, praying
God for his health. On the day of his death--namely, April nineteen,
1616--there were general mourning and tears from men, women, and even
children, as if each one of them had lost a father.

Recognizing the approach of death, he received the holy sacraments,
and performed many acts of faith and penitence, protesting that he was
dying in the service of his king, and, as he hoped, in that of God,
for his intent had been none but the conservation and increase of the
Catholic faith and the destruction of heresy in those districts. And
he said that if the natives had been harassed any, those molestations
had not been intended and were unavoidable, for war brings them. He
ordered his body to be embalmed and carried to this city of Manila
in the flagship galley. From here he ordered his body to be carried
to Xerez de los Cavalleros, where he ordered a convent of discalced
Carmelites to be founded; and that his remains should be deposited
in the residences of the Society. Thus was it done in Malaca, and
afterward here in Manila, where all that fleet arrived in the first
part of June, on the eve of Corpus Christi, in the year of 1616. The
mission and ministry of Ours and of the other religious who took
part in the campaign had lasted for four months, in which they had a
very abundant harvest of souls, discomforts and hardships; for they
had been two months below the equator itself, where they suffered
incomparable heat and drank poor water, which was the cause of the
men catching the plague. And hence there was considerable to do,
and in which to employ their fervor, particularly during Lent and
Holy Week, which they spent at sea. [92]

BIBLIOGRAPHICAL DATA

Many documents in this volume are obtained from MSS. in the Archivo
general de Indias, Sevilla; their pressmarks are indicated as follows:

1. _Petition of the Recollects._--"Simancas--Eclesiastico; Audiencia de
Filipinas; cartas y expedientes de personas eclesiasticas de Filipinas;
anos 1609 a 1644; est. 68, caj. 1, leg. 43."

2. _Dominicans, in re Audiencia._--The same as No. 1.

3. _Letter from Juan de Silva._--"Simancas--Secular; Audiencia de
Filipinas; cartas y expedientes del presidente y oidores de dicha
Audiencia vistos en el Consejo; anos 1607 a 1626; est. 67, caj. 6,
leg. 20."

4. _Letters from Felipe III to Silva._--"Audiencia de Filipinas;
registros de oficio; reales ordenes dirigidas a las autoridades
del distrito de la Audiencia; anos 1597 a 1634; est. 105, caj. 2,
leg. 1."--except that of November 12, 1611, noted below.

5. _Hospital at Nueva Caceres._--"Simancas--Eclesiastico; Audiencia de
Filipinas; cartas y expedientes de los obispos sufraganeos de Manila;
anos de 1594 a 1698; est. 68, caj. 1, leg. 34."

6. _Letters to Dominican Provincial._--The same as No. 4.

7. _Status of missions._--The same as No. 3.

8. _Letter from Soria._--The same as No. 5.

9. _Recommendations regarding archbishopric of
Manila._--"Simancas--Secular; Audiencia de Filipinas; consultas
originales correspondientes a dicha Audiencia; anos 1586 a 1636;
est. 67, caj. 6, leg. 1."

The following is obtained from the Archivo Historico Nacional, Madrid:

10. _Letter from Felipe III to Silva_, November 12, 1611.--"Cedulario
Indico, tom. 38, fol. 143, no. 108."

The following are found in _Recopilacion de leyes de Indias_ (Madrid,
1841):

11. _Laws regarding commerce._--In lib. ix, tit. xlv.

12. _Decree regulating services._--In lib. vi, tit. 12, ley 40.

The following are taken from the Ventura del Arco MSS. (Ayer library):

13. _Relation of 1609-10._--In vol. i, pp. 273-340.

14. _Letters from Ledesma and Rivera._--In vol. i, pp. 403-429.

The remaining documents are obtained from the following sources:

15. _Jesuit missions, 1608-09._--From _Annuae litterae_ (Dilingae, 1610),
pp. 507-532.

16. _Foundation of the college of Santo Tomas._--From _Algunos
documentos relativos a la Universidad de Manila_ (Madrid, 1892),
pp. 5-20.

17. _Trade of the Philippines._--From _Doc. ined. Amer. y Oceania_,
vi, pp. 298-314.

18. _Account of the battle of Playa Honda_ (in "Expedition against
Dutch, 1615").--From Colin's _Labor evangelica_ (Madrid, 1663),
pp. 802-810.

CHRONOLOGICAL LIST OF THE GOVERNORS OF THE PHILIPPINES 1565-1899 AND
THE ADMINISTRATION OF THE ISLANDS AT DIFFERENT PERIODS

List of Philippine Governors

_Miguel Lopez de Legazpi_--Native of Zubarraja (Zumarraga), Guipuzcoa,
born in early part of sixteenth century; goes to Mexico in 1545, where
he becomes clerk of the cabildo; appointed in 1561 to lead expedition
to discover western islands; lands at Cebu April 27, 1565; begins fort
and takes possession of Cebu and neighboring islands for Spain, May 8,
1565; takes possession of Manila, May 19, 1571; erects city of Manila,
June 3, 1571, and appoints regidors, etc., June 24, 1571; death, August
20, 1572; term as governor February 13 (date of first anchorage near
Cebu)-August 20, 1572; also adelantado or governor of the Ladrones.

_Guido de Labezares_--Biscayan; accompanies Villalobos expedition
of 1542; appointed royal treasurer of Legazpi's expedition, 1564;
appointed by Mexico Audiencia by sealed instructions to succeed
Legazpi in case of the latter's death; succeeds to governorship,
August 20 (?), 1572; orders Salcedo to subdue Ilocos and found town
of Fernandina (now Bigan), and orders subjection of Camarines, 1573;
defends Manila against pirate Limahon, 1574; apportions encomiendas;
term as governor (_ad interim_), August 20 (?), 1572-August 25,
1575; given appointment for life as master-of-camp, by Felipe II, and
encomiendas of which he has been deprived by Sande, restored to him.

_Doctor Francisco de Sande_--Native of Caceres; serves as attorney,
criminal judge, and auditor in Mexico; succeeds Labezares, August 25,
1575; founds city of Nueva Caceres; arrival of first Franciscans, 1577;
expedition to Borneo, 1578; term as governor, August 25, 1575-April,
1580; becomes auditor in Mexico Audiencia.

_Gonzalo Ronquillo de Penalosa_--Native of Arevalo; alguazil-mayor in
Mexico; contracts with king to colonize islands, for which to receive
governorship for life; arrives at Manila, April, 1580; arrival of
bishop and first Jesuits, 1581; founds Arevalo, 1581 or 1582; founds
Nueva Caceres, 1582; expedition to Maluco, 1582; imposes import and
export duties, 1582; conflict between the bishop and Augustinians,
1582; sends Gabriel Rivera to Spain; death, March 10, 1583; term as
governor, April, 1580-March 10, 1583.

_Diego Ronquillo_--Nephew of preceding; appointed governor _ad interim_
by royal decree, succeeding to government, March 10, 1583; first great
Manila fire, March 19, 1583; term as governor March 10, 1583-May, 1584.

_Doctor Santiago de Vera_--Native of Alcala de Henares; alcalde of
Mexico; arrives at Manila, May 16, 1584; establishes first Audiencia
of Manila, 1584; sends Diego Ronquillo prisoner to Spain, 1585; sends
expedition to Maluco, 1585; Father Sanchez leaves for Spain, June 28,
1586; arrival of Dominicans for their first mission, 1587; constructs
first stone fort, 1587; Candish captures "Santa Ana," November 4,
1587; insurrection in the Bisayas, 1588; term as governor, May 16,
1584-May, 1590; appointed auditor in Mexico Audiencia.

_Gomez Perez Dasmarinas_--Native of Galicia, and knight of Order of
Santiago; corregidor of Murcia and Cartagena, 1589; appointed governor
of Philippines, 1589; sails for Mexico, December 8, 1589; sails from
Acapulco, March 1, 1590; arrives at Manila, May (June 1, according to
his own letter, q.v., Vol. VIII, p. 268), 1590; suppresses Audiencia,
1590; establishes regular camp, and fortifies and walls Manila;
quarrels with bishop; contracts with Estevan Rodriguez de Figueroa
to conquer Mindanao, May 12, 1591; correspondence with Japan, 1592;
Bishop Salazar goes to Spain, 1592; embassy from Camboja, 1593; sails
on Maluco expedition, October 19, 1593; murdered by Chinese rowers,
October 25, 1593; term as governor, May (or June 1), 1590-October
25, 1593.

_Licentiate Pedro de Rojas_--Auditor of Manila Audiencia, 1584;
lieutenant-assessor, 1590; governor (_ad interim_), October-December
(forty days) 1593; war affairs of islands in charge of Diego Ronquillo;
appointed alcalde of Mexico, 1593.

_Luis Perez Dasmarinas_--Son of Gomez Perez Dasmarinas, and knight of
Order of Alcantara; receives governorship _ad interim_, by virtue of
appointment of father, December (Zuniga says 3), 1593; foundation in
Manila of Confraternity of La Misericordia, 1594; arrival in Manila of
Chinese mandarins, 1594; embassy from Siam, 1595; Figueroa's expedition
to Mindanao, 1595; Morga arrives at Manila as lieutenant-governor,
June 11, 1595; expedition to Camboja under Gallinato, 1596; term as
governor, December 3, 1593-July 14, 1596 (San Antonio says the last
of June). Some historians and chronologists say that Dr. Antonio de
Morga acted as governor _ad interim_ from his entrance into Manila,
June 11, 1595, until Tello's arrival July 14, 1596, but he merely
fulfilled the duties of his office of lieutenant-governor. In his
letters after his arrival, and in his book, he distinctly states that
Luis Perez Dasmarinas was governor. Tello says in a letter of July 17,
1596 (see _Vol_. IX, pp. 274-277), "In respect to the person of Don
Luys Perez Dasmarinas, whom I found acting as governor." Consequently
Morga is given no place in this list.

_Francisco de Tello de Guzman_--Native of Sevilla, and knight of Order
of Santiago; treasurer of India House of Trade; appointed governor
and president of Audiencia, which he is ordered to reestablish,
by royal decree, November 26, 1595; enters Manila, July 14, 1596;
martyrdom of Franciscans in Japan, February 5, 1597; arrival of
first archbishop, May 1598; Audiencia reestablished, May 8, 1598;
arrivals of first suffragan bishops, 1598-1600; Moro invasions,
1599-1600; Morga's fight with Oliver van Noordt, December 14, 1600;
Jesuit seminary of San Jose founded, 1601; term as governor, July 14,
1596-May, 1602; death in Manila, April 1603.

_Pedro Bravo de Acuna_--Knight of the Order of St. John, and comendador
of Salamanca; appointed governor of Cartagena in West Indies, 1593;
appointed governor of the Philippines as early as January 16, 1600
(see _Vol_. XI, p. 312); instructions issued for, February 16, 1602;
arrives at Manila, May, 1602; second fire in Manila, April 30, 1603;
first Chinese insurrection, 1603; expedition to Maluco, January
15-May 31, 1606; Audiencia rules during his absence; first Japanese
insurrection, 1606; death, June 24, 1606.

_Vacant_--The Audiencia takes charge of political affairs, and Auditor
_Cristobal Tellez de Almansa_ of military affairs, June 24, 1606;
arrival of first Recollect mission, 1606; secoad insurrection of
Japanese, 1607; Audiencia governs, June 24, 1606-June 15, 1608.

_Rodrigo de Vivero_--Native of Laredo; page to queen in Spain,
and official in Nueva Espana; appointed governor (_ad interim_)
by royal decree, July 7, 1607; arrives at Manila, June 15, 1608;
issues instructions to alcaldes-mayor; term as governor, June 15,
1608-April (Easter), 1609; appointed count of Valle, and governor
and captain-general, and president of Audiencia of Panama.

_Juan de Silva_--Native of Trujillo, and knight of the Order of
Santiago; arrives in Manila April (Easter), 1609; brings reenforcements
of five companies; victory over Wittert, April 25 (San Antonio says
24), 1610; arrival of fourth archbishop, Diego Vazquez de Mercado,
June 4, 1610; fruitless expedition against Dutch, 1611; expedition
in conjunction with Portuguese against Dutch, February 4, 1616-April
19, 1616; death, April 19, 1616; Audiencia governs during absence;
term as governor, April, 1609-April 19, 1616.

_Vacant_--The Audiencia takes charge of political affairs, and Auditor
Licentiate _Andres Alcaraz_ of military affairs, as substitute for
Jeronimo (uncle of Juan) de Silva, who is appointed governor (_ad
interim_) in case of Juan de Silva's death, by royal decree of March
20 (Delgado) or 28 (San Antonio), 1616 (Alcaraz having been left in
charge by Juan de Silva on his departure to Malaca); return of fleet,
June 1, 1616; Spielberg bombards Iloilo, September 29, 1616, and
is defeated next day; his defeat at Playa Honda by Juan Ronquillo,
April 14, 1617; Jeronimo de Silva arrives from Maluco and takes
charge of military affairs, September 30, 1617; Audiencia governs
(after Juan de Silva's death), April 19, 1616-June 8 (Delgado), 1618.

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