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

de Ribera, being in his flagship—it appears that Sicurey summoned him from the other side of the river. The said captain had sent him, one or two days previously, to summon the said Limasancay. To ascertain the reply of the above king and what the said Sicurey asked from him, his Grace, accompanied by me, the present notary and the witnesses, went to an uninhabited house in the said village and ascended to its top, in order to be able to see and talk with the said Sicurey—who as above stated was on the other side of the river with certain Indians who came with him. Through the interpreter whom his Grace carried he ordered the said Sicurey to be interrogated concerning the reply that he brought to what the said captain had sent him to tell his cousin Limasancay; and the said captain told Sicurey that he should come from the other side of the river in order that he might talk with him, and ascertain what message the said Limasancay sent, what was the latter's intention and purpose, and whether he desired to make the said peace that he had requested in his Majesty's name. To all of this the said Sicurey answered, without coming to his Grace, that he had talked to his cousin, the said Limasancay, who was three days' journey up the river from where the said captain was stationed; that the said village is called Busayen, and that he had told the king everything that he had been ordered to tell. But the king had answered that he was afraid that he would be seized, and for that reason he would not come to see his Grace; but he told Sicurey that he should return thanks to the said captain for the presents which his Grace had given to him and to the others. He would return to talk again with the said Limasancay, and would again ask him to come. The said captain told him that, since he was willing to do him that pleasure, and return again, he should tell the said Limasancay that his Grace did not come to seize or annoy him; for, had he wished to annoy him, he would not have asked as he had that the king come to make peace. The intent of his Majesty, and that of the very illustrious governor, by whose commission and mandate he comes, is only to inform the people in that so great river where they are and live, that they should become vassals of his Majesty, and of the said governor in his royal name, as the natives of other islands have done. If he and the other chiefs give obedience to his Majesty, to whom all render obedience, and are willing to be his vassals and desire to be protected under his royal crown and favor, his Grace would regale them and would not molest or annoy them. They could remain in their own lands and settlement. If they would, of their own volition and without being forced, give some tribute, his Grace would receive it in his Majesty's name, and only in token of obedience and so that it might be understood that they wished peace and were obedient under his royal crown; that they themselves should decide whatever they wished to give for this purpose. If the said Limasancay feared, as he said, that his Grace would seize him, he was prepared to give him any and all security that he might desire, so that he might come to treat with the said captain and that he might understand that the latter has no intention of illtreating him; for if his intention were to molest the king, his Grace had had occasion therefor already, and could have seized the said Sicurey and other chiefs who came to discuss peace with his Grace, as well as a chief called Dato Bahandie. This last has come peacefully and has rendered obedience to his Majesty; and in return therefor the said captain has regaled him and will protect him on every occasion. If the said Limasancay purposes to attempt treachery and deceit toward the said captain, and in short not to come peacefully, he shall send word immediately as to his intention; for, if he do not come peacefully, then his Grace will employ all the correctives and artifices possible, until he leaves this land pacified and its inhabitants as vassals of his Majesty. His Grace has been informed, by natives and chiefs of the said river, that the said Limasancay is preventing and hindering many chiefs from surrendering themselves as vassals of his Majesty, by saying that, if they did, he would persecute and destroy them. Since he prevents this, and refuses to make friendship, as has been required of him, and prevents others from doing so, his Grace, as above stated, will proceed against the said Limasancay by all possible ways and methods, as against a man who prevents the chiefs of the said river from making peace and rendering obedience to his Majesty as they wish: his Grace will also proceed against all his paniaguados, and against all those who refuse peace and obedience to his Majesty. The said Sicurey having heard all the above declaration, and other words to the same effect, replied that he would repeat it all to the said Limasancay, and would return within three days. Because the said village of Mindanao did not contain food for the soldiers, the captain told the said Sicurey that he would await him and his reply in Tampaca, six leagues up the river above the said village of Mindanao. In order that this might appear in the records, I attest and certify the same, which took place before me. Witnesses, Pedro de Eseguera and Ensign Arteaga.

Grabiel de Ribera

Before me:

Diego Lopez Carreno, notary of the fleet

At the river and village of Mindanao, on the seventeenth day of the month of March, one thousand five hundred and seventy-nine, after the illustrious captain, Grabiel Ribera, had waited three days at his anchorage for Limasancay to come, to make peace as he had requested of him; and seeing that he did not come and that food was becoming scarce, and, the said village being depopulated, he could find no food there; and because his Grace had been told by natives of the said river that the said Limasancay was retiring up river to one of his villages, to make a fort there for his defense; and seeing that the king was dealing treacherously, in order to gain time to build the said fort: in order to avoid the possible great danger in allowing the said Limasancay to fortify himself, and likewise because he had heard that the village of Tapaca, about four leagues up the river, contained food, from which the fleet (some vessels of which were in want) might be reprovisioned; to look for and collect certain pieces of artillery which were said to be in the said village, and which were reported to have belonged to the lost Portuguese galley—his Grace on this said day, ascended the river to the said village, for the causes and reasons above stated. I attest the same. Witnesses, Pedro de Eseguera, Ensign Melchor de Torres, and Ensign Arteaga.

Grabiel de Ribera

Before me:

Diego Lopez Carreno, notary of the fleet

In the village of Tapaca, on the nineteenth day of the month of March, one thousand five hundred and seventy-nine, in fulfilment of the order given by the illustrious captain Grabiel de Ribera, after having voyaged for three days up stream to the village of Tapaca, whither his Grace shaped his course, it appears that, at the entrance of the port, the said captain despatched a small barangay with certain Indians and three soldiers. He ordered these to go ahead to notify the chiefs of the said town that his Grace was coming, by order of his Majesty, to pacify the said town and its vicinity; and that the said natives should come peaceably. It appears that, at the entrance of the said village, before talking to any of the natives, according to his Grace's orders, certain culverins and many arrows were discharged at the said barangay. As soon as the said captain learned of this, he ordered immediately all the soldiers and men in the ships of his fleet, to set in order for instant action the cannons, muskets, and other firearms, so that if necessity demanded, they might be fired. When everything was in order, he entered the said village. At the said entrance many culverins and arrows were fired at the said fleet. Consequently his Grace ordered all the soldiers to keep together and not to separate at all. Thus the said captain went up the river to the said village, where he disembarked. Accompanied by me, the present notary, certain soldiers, a chief whom he took as interpreter, named Quilantan, and other chiefs and interpreters, the said captain advanced, carrying a white peace-flag; and he ordered the said chiefs to call out and summon the Indians who were on the other side of the river. Thereupon these latter summoned them, and some of those on the other side came, upon which the said captain ordered his interpreters to ask the said natives why they had fled and deserted the town, and why they had discharged those arrows and culverins, inasmuch as his Grace had given them no cause therefor. He informed them all that he did not come to harm or offend them; he came to this river solely at the command of the very illustrious Doctor Francisco de Sande, of his Majesty's Council, and his governor for all these islands—who had sent his Grace to inform them of the great error and delusion under which they live and labor, and to make them vassals of his Majesty, and of the said governor in his royal name. Being vassals, great gain and advantage would accrue to them, and they would dwell in quiet and peace in their lands and settlements, as at present. They would not be ousted or dispossessed of them, and no person should annoy or molest them. On the contrary, they would be protected, defended, and aided by his Majesty and the very illustrious governor in his royal name. By his Grace also, protection would be given, in whatever required it at present, as he had promised to Dato Bahandie, a native of this village, who, because he came peacefully and rendered obedience to his Majesty, had been received under his royal protection. He and others of his opinion would be protected in all necessities, and on all occasions, as vassals of his Majesty. They should understand that the captain has not come to plunder them or to seize, their possessions, but only for the purpose above stated. If they had any food, his Grace had need of it, and would pay them in full for it. They should return to their houses and land and should not abandon their village. He did not wish them to pay him tribute or other things. While summoning them and notifying them of these and other things which his Grace tried to make them understand, they sent a volley of arrows toward his Grace, and by good luck missed killing one of the said interpreters and chiefs there. And as soon as the said Indians on the other side heard the said summons, they declared that the Castilians were rogues and had come to deceive them. Thereupon the said captain returned to the rest of his men. To all of the above, I, the present notary, certify. Witnesses, Francisco Gomez, Sergeant Lope de Catalinaga, and Juan Rodriguez de Norvega.

Grabiel de Ribera

Before me:

Diego Lopez Carreno, notary of the fleet

In the village of Tapaca on the twentieth day of the month of March, one thousand five hundred and seventy-nine, Captain Grabiel de Rivera, seeing that he had had no intercourse with the natives nor was able to secure it since his arrival in the said village, ordered that three ambuscades be made inland. Thereupon a certain number of soldiers and some friendly Indian rowers whom he had, penetrated inland about one and one-half leagues. It appears that in four hours the said soldiers returned with the report that it was utterly impossible to advance farther, because of the numerous swamps and marshes, where the water reached their knees and higher. Consequently, and because the captain saw how the food was failing, and because he had been informed by certain friendly Indians who had come in peace and by Dato Bahandie, that the petty king Limasancay must be in the village above Tampaca, he authorized Pedro Brizeño de Eseguera, a citizen of the town of Santísimo Nombre de Jesus, a discreet and capable man and one experienced in that land, to ascend the river in two vireys and one small barangay, with twenty-six soldiers; for