The Philippine Islands, 1493-1898 by - (read any book TXT) 📕

slaves, and all these were kept by the king. At the end of the said six years, the said chief fled returning to Balayan, his native village. In like manner, the present witness knows that the king of Borney is detaining many Indian chiefs and timaguas [freemen], and that he will not allow them to leave his country. Likewise this witness, upon going to Borney to trade, was detained in the island against his will for eight or nine years, until the said king of Borney sent him to Balayan to sell a trifle of camanguian and other articles—whereupon he remained in the said town, and would not return to Borney. He has seen this done and practiced by the king of Borney against many persons, both chiefs and timaguas, of the region about Manila, who are vassals of his Majesty.

Being asked where he learned the worship of Mahoma, and who declared it to him, he said that the ancestors of the Borneans were natives of Meca, as he, the present witness, had heard; for the natives of Balayan, Manila, Mindoro, Bonbon, and that region did not have knowledge of the said worship until the Borneans had explained it to them; they have done so with the natives of these islands, and therefore all these are Moros now, because their ancestors learned it from the said Moros of Borney. [21] Their language, both spoken and written, is derived from Meca; and the said Borneans and natives of Sian and Patan possess and observe their Alcorans—the law and worship of Mahoma. He said that in the book of the Alcoran, which the present witness has seen and has heard preached, they say and assert that they are the enemies of the Christians. Likewise in other books they say that the Borneans have always desired to make Moros of the Christians—a thing that he has also heard declared by the catip [caliph?] whom the said Borneans regard as a priest, and who preaches the said doctrine of Mahoma. This said catip, and others, with like expressions preach the said doctrine of Mahoma, so that the said natives observe it. They declare and publish that the law of the Christians is evil; and their own, good. The witness knows that, in the former year, seventy-four, the king of Borney undertook to attack Manila, and to plunder and kill the Spaniards, launching for the purpose a fleet of one hundred galleys and one hundred small vessels. In each large vessel were about fifty, and in the smaller about thirty men—all together, in the judgment of this witness, making about seven or eight thousand men. All were of one mind, to kill the Spaniards at Manila. The said fleet left the river of Borney to begin the said expedition, but, after sailing about twenty leagues, immediately returned, because the son of the king of Borney was taking part in the said expedition; and, in order that the Spaniards might not land at Borney in another part, and kill his father, he did not continue the said expedition, but returned with the whole fleet, without his enterprise having any effect. The witness has heard that the king of Borney wrote letters to Raxa Soliman and Lacandora, chiefs of Manila, so that they might revolt against the Spaniards, and saying that all would be protected. Likewise he has heard his relatives and other Moros tell how in former times the king of Borney has sent preachers of the sect of Mahoma to Cebu, Oton, Manila, and other districts, so that the people there might be instructed in it as were those of Borney. And this witness, in his own time, has heard the said doctrine preached in Balayan, by a Moro regarded among them as a priest, by name Siat Saen. Also it is well known that the said Borneans are wont to plunder the Calamianes, and enslave the people and take them to Borney. They do the same in other districts thereabout. The witness has heard that the said king of Borney holds captive a Spaniard, named Diego Felipe, and two Christian Visayans, whose names he does not know. This is what he knows, or is currently reported, and what he has seen. He certified as to its truth, ratified it, and signed it, in his own language, as did the said interpreter. He was about thirty-one years old.

Joan Ochoa Ttabudo

Before me:

Alonso Beltran, his Majesty's notary

[Following this are depositions taken from four other men, two of them natives of Borneo. The testimonies of all are very similar to the foregoing, and show the policy of the king of Borneo. One testimony declares that the king was wont to make the rich and influential men who might land at his island captains, in order to retain their wealth. The document continues:]

[Letter to the king of Borneo.]

I, Doctor Francisco de Sande, governor and captain-general for his Majesty in these islands and districts of the West, by order of his Majesty, the king of Castilla and Leon, my sovereign, Don Ffelipe, the greatest king and most powerful sovereign in the world, send this letter by these messengers to you, Outardo Soltan Lixar, king of Borney, so that you may know my will, and what I require.

You know already how I, with the other captains and soldiers of the Castilians live, by order of the king, our sovereign, in Manila, in the island of Luçon, in Çubu, and in other districts. There in Manila, Çubu, and other districts it has been rumored that you have tried and are trying to do us harm, and to make war upon us; that you have tried to induce and have solicited the natives of Luçon and other districts to rebel and revolt against us; that you have sent spies to Çubu and other districts; that you have left your residence for this purpose of warring against us with a fleet of ships. All these things are without any reason, and I know not what is the cause therefor; for my will is good and I desire to show naught but good to all, and ill to none. Since I am proceeding to confer with you openly and publicly, I notify you that I am not coming to plunder or to harm you, but to prove of use to you; for the king, my sovereign, orders thus, and accordingly I gladly notify you that I am going to you. My sovereign, the king of Castilla, spends his money through us, the Castilians, and sends us into all parts of the world, in order that we might proclaim the law of the true God. For this purpose I came hither; and now I am going to confer with you, chiefly that you may know your God and Creator, and to teach you the true law. I wish to do you no ill, nor to seize your possessions; on the contrary, if you are our friend, I will aid and defend you, according to the orders of the king, my sovereign. To this end I offer you peace and friendship on our part, in such wise, that there may be mutual security, on both sides, to go and to come, to see one another, to trade and traffic, as is usual among friends.

What you are to do is to admit preachers of the holy gospel, who may preach the law of the Christians in your lands in all security; and likewise that any person whatever of your country may have entire liberty and permission to attend the preaching of the law of the Christians, and that he who wishes to become a Christian may do so without any ill befalling him.

Further, I desire that you shall send no preachers of the sect of Mahoma to any part of these islands, nor to the heathen among the Tingues [hill-people], nor into other parts of your own island—inasmuch as the doctrine of Mahoma is a false and evil law, and the religion of the Christians alone is true, holy, and good.

Further, I desire that you send me a Christian Spaniard, called Diego Felipe, whom I am told you have there, as well as others if you have them; and two Visayans, natives of Çubu, Christians whom we know that you have, and who were captured from their own country; likewise whomever else you have in your power. You must give to the heirs of Raxa Soliman and Lacandora, natives of Luçon—vassals of the king, my sovereign, and his subjects, in his royal name the slaves and property that you have retained there belonging to them; and whatever belongs to any other vassals of the king, my sovereign. This I would do myself, if I had anything of yours or of your people, and would pay and return it, and would do justice to them in that regard very openly.

Item: You must allow those persons whom you have detained, because they are rich, to go about freely, and give them leave to return to their own lands, since they are natives of these islands of the king, my sovereign. They went to trade with you, and you have no right to constrain them; but you must allow them to go freely with their wives, children, and possessions.

Likewise, you must forbid your people from asking tribute in these islands, inasmuch as I collect tribute in them, as it is the right of our king, my sovereign. I write this letter that you may be advised of my wishes. You must answer it immediately, and not detain the messengers, even if they should say that they wish to remain in Borney with you; for if they are detained, I shall understand that there is some mischief and deceit on your part against our people. As we are coming by way of the sea, and have need of food, you must send food to us, in accordance with what is asked by my messengers, in return for our money. This shall be paid you, as you wish; and for the same, we are bringing silver and gold. I shall be glad to receive your reply and to talk with you. Advise me with all haste. May God grant you the true light and health.

Doctor Francisco de Sande

(On the thirteenth day of April of the above year, I delivered two copies of this letter, one in the Bornean language, and the other in that of Manila, to chiefs Magat and Magachina, so that they might give them to the king of Borney.

I hereby certify to the same:

Alonso Beltran, his Majesty's notary) [22]

(On this day, the very illustrious Doctor Francisco de Sande, governor and captain-general for his Majesty in these islands, showed this letter to father Fray Martin de Rada, religious of the order of St. Augustine, whom he is taking with him in the said expedition, so that he might examine it, as a matter resolved on by both. He, having read it, pronounced it good and said that it could be sent to the said king of Borney.

I herewith certify to the same:

Alonso Beltran, his Majesty's notary

In the chief galley, named "Santiago," while at sea near the island of Borney, one of the Filipinas islands belonging to his Majesty, on Sunday, the thirteenth day of the month of April, one thousand five hundred and seventy-eight, the very illustrious Doctor Francisco de Sande, governor and captain-general for his Majesty, declared that, as is well known, his Lordship going with the galleys and ships of the fleet here amid these islands at this present time—and sailing with every mark of peace to the port of Borney, and as a token of the same, with a white flag at the bow of the flagship, in which the said governor is sailing—it was discovered by the said galley, and by the fragata [23] sailing in advance of the fleet as a scout-boat, that the mouth of the river-harbor called Borney was occupied and blockaded with a great number of vessels. And because it was learned from other Indians of the said river of Borney that they desired war instead of peace; and as he did not desire to war upon them, or do them any damage—to the offense of God, our Lord, or in disobedience to his Majesty's orders—the said governor ordered the said flagship, and all the said fleet, to cast anchor, and sent a message by two Moros of Balayan, his Majesty's vassals in the island of Luçon. These men were ordered to tell the Borneans, in order that they might know, that his intentions were peaceful; that, as a token thereof, he was flying the white flag; and that they should not trouble themselves to fire any of their artillery upon the Spaniards, for, if the Borneans did any damage, they would be punished.