Part 11
On the said day, month, and year, aforesaid, in obedience to the order of the said governor, the oath was taken and received before God and the Blessed Mary, and on a sign of the cross, in due form of law, from Pedro Lucas, a soldier; under which obligation, when questioned, he declared what he knows, and that present occurrences are as follows. On this day, Sunday, about four in the afternoon or so, when the flagship named "Santiago" (wherein were the said governor and other soldiers and troops) and also the other galleys and war vessels of his Majesty were sailing toward the port of the said island of Borney, this witness saw that the said flagship flew a white flag of peace on the bow of the said flagship. And at the mouth of the said port he saw a number of ships--in his opinion, some twenty-five or thirty in all. When the said governor saw the said fleet, and that war was about to ensue, in order not to have war with them, but that all might be peace, he ordered the said flagship and also the other ships and vessels of the said fleet to anchor. They anchored at a good distance from the said port, in order to give the natives of the said island to understand that the governor desired not war with them, but all peace and friendship. This witness saw that the governor gave two letters to two Moro chiefs of Balayan, vassals of his Majesty, of the island of Luçon--one letter in the Moro tongue, and the other in that of Borney. In them he informed the Borneans of his reasons for coming, and that he desired not war with them, but all peace and friendship. This witness saw the two Indians leave the said flagship and embark on a fragata of the said fleet with the said two letters, in order to deliver them to the Indians in the said war-vessels. The governor ordered them to return with all haste, with a reply to his Lordship. This is the extent of his knowledge and what he has seen this said day. He affirms its truth, by the oath that he took, and has signed the same. He says that he is thirty years old. Upon this being read to him, he affirmed and ratified the same.
_Pedro Lucas_
Before me:
_Alonso Beltran_, his Majesty's notary
[Testimony is received also from three others, Juan Manuel Pimentel, Juan Ochoa, and Gaspar Perez. That of the first is similar to the above. That of the last contains the information that the two Moros sent with the letters "as yet have not returned nor sent a reply, except that we see that the said fleet of the Borneans still holds the mouth of the said port, and his Majesty's fleet is anchored in the open sea and in great peril; and this witness has heard some heavy shots fired by the Borneans at his Majesty's fleet. It is well known, and this witness has heard the Borneans say, that the king of Borneo and his people are about to war upon the Spaniards, both by sea and by land." A portion of the interpreter Juan Ochoa's testimony is as follows. "This witness saw at the mouth of the said port a number of Bornean warships, in his judgment numbering some twenty or twenty-five. When these were seen by the said governor and by the fragata of the said fleet, the said governor ordered the said flagship and all the other galleys and ships to anchor, which they did, anchoring in the open sea, without any shelter. This witness saw that the flagship was flying a white flag of peace, so that the natives of the island might understand that the Spaniards desired not war, but all peace. And on this same day, this witness heard from Bornean Moros captured in a small boat on that day while on their way from the said river of Borney to their villages, that the said king of Borney had heard that the said fleet of his Majesty was going to Borney; and in order to defend himself and fight with them, he had gathered as large a fleet as possible, and for the purpose of war had come to the island of Mohala (distant about one league from the port of Borney), where his Majesty's fleet was about to anchor and take in water. The said Bornean Moros told this witness, as being the interpreter, that they had been captured on the said day, in the said boat."]
Testimony Regarding the Naval Battle when the Port was Captured
After the above events, on Monday, the fourteenth of the said month of April, one thousand five hundred and seventy-eight, about noon, the said governor having seen that the said Borneans had returned no answer to his letters, nor had they sent back the two above-mentioned chiefs and six Moros from Balayan (his Majesty's vassals, who accompanied the chiefs), and because his Majesty's fleet was in great danger, as it had not made port; that a number of vessels belonging to the said Borneans were on the point of beginning hostilities, and that the Borneans showed by certain tokens that they were anxious for war and not peace--for this reason commencing to fire and discharge many pieces of artillery at his Majesty's said fleet and soldiers: therefore he ordered that the said fleet, disposed in good order, enter the said port, placing at the bow of the said flagship a white flag of peace, that, if the said Borneans wished peace, he might make it with them. And at the coming of the said fleet of his Majesty, thus arranged, the Borneans in the said port--to the number of fifty ships, large and small, rather more than less--began to resist the entrance into the port of the said fleet, firing many pieces of artillery at the said fleet of his Majesty and the Spaniards in it, until, after some time, the fleet of his Majesty entered the said port, when the said Borneans retired and fled toward the said river of Borney with many ships in pursuit of them. Thus did the said fleet anchor in the said port against the will of the said Borneans. Of all the above, I, the said notary, testify herewith. These things took place before me, as a person aboard the said fleet; and I herewith testify to the same--Andres de Villanueva, the ensign Francisco Banon, Hernan Ramirez Plata, Juan de Argumedo, and others, being witnesses.
I testify thereto:
_Alonso Beltran_, his Majesty's notary
After the above events, on Wednesday, the sixteenth day of the month of April, of the said year one thousand five hundred and seventy-eight, the very illustrious Doctor Francisco de Sande, governor and captain-general for his Majesty in the Western Islands, being in the river of Borney, where there was a great settlement of houses; and going into a large house, said to belong to the old king of the said river, found there the said Simagat, a chief of Balayan, and a vassal of his Majesty, who was one of the messengers sent to the said king of Borney with two peace-letters. When questioned through the interpreter, Juan Ochoa Ttabudo, he told what happened in regard to the letters given them for the said king of Borney, to whom he gave them; what answer they made to him concerning them; what insults and ill-treatment they inflicted on him; and what befell Simagachina, chief of Balayan, who accompanied him. He declared that what happened is as follows. On Sunday night, the thirteenth of this present month of April, this witness and the said Simagachina left the flagship, embarking in one of his Majesty's fragatas, together with six Moros, five of whom were from Balayan and one from Tondo. They took two letters from his Lordship for the king of Borney, one written in the Bornean tongue and the other in that of Manila. When this witness, and the others abovesaid, had landed in the port of the said river of Borney where a number of war vessels had gathered to prevent the fleet of his Majesty from making the said port; and when he had come to a large galley under command of a Bornean named Salalila--the latter, on seeing them, ordered them placed in the said galley, and took from this witness a gold _calenbiga_ that he wore, which weighed about seven taes of gold. Another Indian, unknown to him, took another from the said arm, and several other ornaments were seized from him. They took from him a gold box, two small chains, and another smaller one, all together weighing eleven taes. On taking away his garment, they discovered the letters given him by his Lordship. As soon as the said Salalila and the other Borneans with him saw the said letters, they laid hands upon them, exclaiming: "What knavery is this that you have here? It is some sorcery to fight with us." This witness replied that they were only some letters for the king of Borney from the Spaniards. Thereupon the said Salalila read the letter that was written in the Manila tongue, and, after reading it, said jestingly, "This letter is from Portuguese," and tore it into pieces. The other letter, written in the Bornean tongue, the said Salalila sent, together with this witness, in a small boat with certain Bornean Moros to the king of Borney. The said Magachina and the other Moros remained in the said fleet with the said Salalila. About three o'clock next morning they reached the house where the said old king of Borney lived. The said Borneans gave him the said letter in the presence of this witness. A Bornean Moro read it; and, when he came to the end, the said king remarked: "So this is the way that your people write to me, who am king; while the Castilians are _capie_"--that is to say, in the Bornean language "men"--"who have no souls, who are consumed by fire when they die, and that, too, because they eat pork;" and after certain other words, the said king asked him what he would do, and if he wished to return to the Castilians. This witness answered, "No, I do not wish to go now, so that I shall not be killed on the way." Thereupon the said king of Borney said to him: "Remain here; and, after the Spaniards are conquered, stay here, and marry. I will give you a galley to command." This witness, for fear that he would be killed, answered, "Yes, I will do as you wish." Thereupon the king asked him as to the ships and people of the Castilians, and this witness told him that there were eight galleys, thirty-two vireys, and seven hundred Spaniards under the supreme command of Captain Bassar. Then the king asked how many pieces of artillery were in each ship, and their size, and how large a ball each one carried. This witness answered that each galley carried in its bow three large pieces; and that four galleys threw balls as large as his head, and the others balls about one-half that size. He asked further if they carried broadside pieces, or if they carried any that one man might take alone; and this witness answered that they did not. Likewise he asked him what weapons the Spaniards carried, and whether the governor were young or old. This witness answered that each Spaniard had one coat-of-mail, two arquebuses (one large and one small), a buckler, sword and dagger, and a lance; and that the said governor was not old. He asked him the governor's name, and whether he was recently come from España. This witness answered that he did not know his name, but that all called him Captain Basar, and that he had come two years ago to Manila. Then he asked him for the master-of-camp, Juan de Salcedo, and for many Castilians of Manila. This witness told him that the said Juan de Salcedo was dead. He also asked him what Spaniards remained in Manila, about their fort and artillery, whether ships came annually from España, and what soldiers they brought. This witness said that many Spaniards remained in Manila, for ships came from Castilla every year bringing many people, all of whom remained; and that they had built a very large fort containing forty pieces of artillery. Many other things which he could not remember were asked him, after which the said king dismissed him; whereupon this witness went to the house of a relative of his, on the other side of the river. As he was finishing his breakfast, for it was early morning, about nine or ten Moros entered, bound him, and took him to the said house of the king, who asked him anew many questions concerning the Spaniards, which he does not remember, except that they threatened him that, if he did not tell the truth, they would kill him, and whether the said letter was witchcraft. Upon this witness asserting that he had told the truth, they took him to the prison and thrust both his feet in the stocks, put a chain about his neck, bound his hands, and set a Moro named Tumanpate to guard him. While in this condition, a Moro named Haguandatan entered the said prison, drew a Moro dagger three palms long, and said to him: "Have no fear. I killed Magachina thus, and gave him a dagger-thrust near the neck, from which he died." He was a slave of the king and turned to go, saying that he was going back to the sea and the fleet to fight with the Castilians. Then many other Moros came in to kill him, but the jailer forbade it and would not allow them to kill him. Afterward, about nightfall, he heard many shouts and outcries from the said river; and, upon his asking the said jailer what it meant, the latter told him that the Bornean fleet was fleeing from the Spaniards. Thereupon this witness asked that he be not killed, and said that he would give him money. Accordingly, at night the jailer took him from the said prison to a house of his up the river and told him that the king of Borney and many Indians had fled up the river; and that he should write a note, so that his relative should pay his ransom. While here, his relative aforesaid, named Siandi, came and gave him a culverin [24] of three quintals weight, with other Spaniards--he alone remaining, for the other man, his relative, turned back, leaving this witness in the power of the Spaniards. Likewise this witness declared that when they took him to the river of Borney, he met on the way a son of the said king of Borney who was going to fight with the said fleet. This man told him where he was going, and how the said letters had come to his father; and thus let him go. And this is the extent of his knowledge, and of those events. It is the truth. Having read it to him and given him to understand it, he affirmed and ratified it. He is about thirty years old. He did not sign it, but the said interpreter did. He said it is known that the Borneans killed his companion, the said Simagachina.
_Juan Ochoa Ttabudo_
Before me:
_Alonso Beltran_, his Majesty's notary
And after the above events, on the same day, month, and year, above-mentioned, the said governor in the said flagship and with the other galleys and small ships in his convoy, entered the bar of the said river of Borney and came to the village, where it was reported that the said king of Borney resided; where also were the fragatas of his Majesty and other vessels that had entered the port, in pursuit of the said Borneans. And having arrived at the said village with certain soldiers and troops, the governor entered its chamber, and it remained for him to give two taes of gold and four slaves. Then the prisoner was released. Upon this witness going down the river with another relative of his, named Sicollao, they met a Spaniard named Diego Martin, and joined a large house which was there, and below the said river, said to be the house of a son of the said king of Borney. This house contained a large and well-finished piece of artillery, and a number of culverins, _frecones_, and other offensive arms. Advancing toward the houses where it was reported that the old king of Borney lived, near the said house, they saw a large galley with more than twenty-four benches on each side. It contained a large swivel-gun and another smaller piece, both loaded, and having on them some _quinas,_ [25] which appeared to be the arms of the king of Portugal, and each one furnished with two handles. The said galley contained also four other culverins mounted in the place where the cargo is stored; and the galley carried a quantity of ammunition for the said pieces. Some four or five galleots of sixteen or eighteen benches each were found also, with many falcons, and culverins, and one of them with a half _sacre._ [26] After disembarking, the said governor entered a house reported to be that of the old king of Borney. There he found a large gourd filled with papers, among which were three letters--two written in the characters and language of Borney, one bearing a signature, namely, "Don Leonis Pereyra Martin Ferreyras;" the third was written in Portuguese, beginning, "Noble and honored king of Borneo." It was dated at Ebora, March seven, one thousand five hundred and seventy-three, and bore a signature, namely, "El Rey" ["The King"]. By order of his Lordship, I, the said notary, took possession of the said letters. The said governor went also by land to a house, wherein was kept the gunpowder. He found there eighteen Bornean jars filled with powder, twenty-four filled with saltpeter, and many loaves of sulphur; more than five hundred lances and _conpites_, with which the said natives shoot; many shields, pikes with iron heads, a great quantity of small and large iron balls of many kinds, and many arrows; and two or three jars of poisonous herbs. Also at the door of the said arsenal was a piece of artillery, a broken swivel-gun (also bearing the arms of the king of Portugal), with its large handles; four other _fresones_, large and long, with four chambers; two cannon-cases for artillery, one very large and without any piece; and a stone ball, slightly thicker than a man's body. Another large house, said to belong to Indian chiefs and captains, was entered. A number of culverins and some gunpowder were found there. Then the said governor went to the mosque located in the said town, where he found a large chair, upon which, they say, sat the preacher who expounded the doctrine of Mahoma to the said Borneans. Near this chair was a block of marble containing painted and gilded pictures of idols. This and the said chair the governor ordered taken from the said mosque, as well as a trough which the Borneans said contained water wherein whoever bathed went straight to heaven at his death. This trough was removed by order of the said governor, along with other articles, and the idols contained in the mosque. There were collected also throughout the said town a great number of projectiles, falcons, and culverins. This ammunition and artillery was ordered to be collected and kept by the said governor, so that the said Borneans could not use it. All that happened on this said day passed before me and many others. I certify thereto--the treasurer Salvador de Aldave, the ensign Juan de Gamboa, Luis de Garnica, Francisco Chacon, and many others being witnesses.
I certify thereto:
_Alonso Beltran_, his Majesty's notary
And after the above events, in the settlement on the said river of Borney, on Sunday, the twentieth day of the month of April of the said year one thousand five hundred and seventy-eight, the very illustrious Doctor Francisco de Sande, governor and captain-general for his Majesty in the islands of the West, with all his soldiers and troops in line of battle, entered certain houses said to belong to the said king of Borney, and went through several of them from one part to another, and said that he was taking, and did take, possession of them, in the name of his Majesty, King Don Felipe, our sovereign. From here, marching in battle-array, he disembarked, and went hither and thither in various parts, had many branches cut from trees there, and entered the mosque of the said town, and a large house which was among others in the settlement; here he ordered his lodging to be prepared and at present is lodged there. All this he declared that he did in sign of possession, and for the possession which he was taking and did take of the said settlement and of all the island of Borney with intention to hold and defend it in the name of his Majesty from whomsoever might try to oppose him. For defense of the troops in the said settlement, he ordered a stockade to be built, like a fort, where his Lordship and all the other Spaniards are lodged. He ordered me, the said notary, to testify to this; and I, the said notary, certify to all the abovesaid, for these events took place before me, as one coming upon the said conquest-witnesses thereto being Pero Lucas, Luis de Garnica, Francisco Chacon, and many others.
_Alonso Beltran_, notary of his Majesty
And after the above events, in the said village on the river of Borney, on the twenty-fourth day of the month of April of the above year, the said governor summoned an Indian before him who, through the interpreter Juan Ochoa Ttabudo, declared himself to be one Sinagua, a native of the town of Balayan, one of the six Moros who left the flagship at his Lordship's order with Simagat and Simagachina, with two letters for the king of Borney. He was advised (but without administering the oath, because he was a Moro) to tell truly what he knew and had seen, and the injuries and ill-treatment inflicted upon him and the others. He said that what he knows and what occurred is the following. As before declared, this witness is one of the six Moros whom the said Simagat and Simagachina took with them when they carried the letters to the king of Borney at the order of his Lordship. When they reached the fleet of the king of Borney, stationed in the port of an islet to forbid the entrance there of the Spaniards, and when the said Borneans saw them, these envoys were seized and each one placed in a separate galley--except this witness and one other Moro, one Sungayan, who were imprisoned together and put in fetters under the deck. This witness does not know what was done with the others. The next morning they took this witness and his above-mentioned companion and led them before a captain, whose name he does not know. This captain ordered them to be freed and food to be given them. Then he ordered them to be placed in the said galley without this witness seeing any of the others who had gone with them. Because he was below in the said galley, this witness did not see the fight between the said Moros and Spaniards, except that the vessels of the said Borneans took flight, and that the galley in which this witness was fled up the river of Borney, until its captain and crew landed. Taking this witness and his companion with them, they marched inland one and one-half days, without this witness knowing whither they were taking them. Finally, for fear of the said Borneans, they hid themselves; for the said Borneans were fleeing across country. This witness and his said companion fled and returned, until they found a small boat in which they embarked to look for the Spaniards (keeping hidden in order not to meet any Borneans), until they met certain Spanish vessels, which they accompanied to the village, where the governor and Spaniards now are. Here they found alive the said Simagat, who told them how he had been ill-treated, his gold taken from him, and himself threatened with death; and that the said Borneans had killed the said Simagachina. This witness is convinced of his death, for he has never appeared nor have they had any news of him. As he does not understand the language of Borney, he cannot tell what passed among the said Borneans, when he was captured; he knows this and naught else.
And he declares it true, and affirms and ratifies the same. He is about twenty-five years of age. He did not sign the above, but the interpreter Juan Ochoa Ttabudo, did so.
Before me:
_Alonso Beltrán_, his Majesty's notary
[The deposition of the above native's companion follows. It is of similar tenor to the above.]