Chapter 20

In the village of Mindanao, on the sixth day of the month of April, one thousand five hundred and seventy-nine, the illustrious Gabriel de Ribera, captain of infantry and of the fleet and men sent to pacify this island and that of Jolo by the very illustrious Doctor Francisco de Sande, governor and captain-general of these islands for his Majesty, made the following declaration. Inasmuch as his Grace has remained twenty-four days in this river and has done all that is declared in the records above, during all of which time he has striven to make peace and alliance with the petty king Limasancay and his chiefs, exercising for this purpose the utmost possible care, committing no injury--although indeed he has had much excuse therefor; and has contrived to have messengers sent to the said Limasancay, in order to confer with him, but the latter refused to talk, nor does anyone care to take a message to him, for they assert that they would be beheaded; and, besides, since Limasancay prevents his chiefs from coming to make peace; and although some chiefs have come to make peace and enroll themselves under his Majesty's protection (as, for instance, the chiefs of Silangay of this village of Mindanao and of Catituan), they do not pay us the tribute promised; and some of those who come bring two or three tributes of articles of little value, or of no importance, which is an ill way of amusing us, and of no advantage; and having seen the great need and lack of food suffered by the entire fleet, because of the long voyage and severe storms that they have experienced; and because of the many sick--each day both Spaniards and Indian rowers falling ill, because of the unhealthful climate of the land, and the lack of all food, except rice--and very little of that, on many days having only one ration a day, to all the people, both Bisayans and Moros; and considering the long voyage ahead of them, and the amount of work that must still be done in order to obey his Lordship's commands; and having no certain assurance of provisions--as this island is so short of them; and although his Grace sent Pedro de Oseguera with gold and articles of barter six days ago to search for food, still he is not sure that he has found it: therefore he said that he ordered, and he did order, all the vessels of this fleet to prepare to cross the bar, in order to make the voyage. His Grace ordered that a copy of a letter written in the Moro tongue, to the said Limasancay be placed in these records, so that it might be manifest. He signed the above. Witnesses, Francisco Velazquez, Tome de la Ysla, and Lope de Catalinaga

_Gabriel de Ribera_

Before me:

_Benito de Mendiola_, notary of the fleet

In fulfilment of the above order of the said captain, I, the present notary, caused to be made and did make, a copy of the letter written by order of the said captain to Limasancay, which was first written in a rough draft, so that the essentials of the said letter might therein be set down. It was written in the Moro language by the interpreter Laquian, an Indian Moro, who can write in the said tongue. In order that the said Laquian might write the said letter, it was explained to him by Miguel Godines, Spanish interpreter. Its tenor is as follows:

To Limasancay, the panguilan who is lord over this river and the environs of Mindanao: I came to this river by order of the very illustrious Doctor Francisco de Sande, governor and captain-general of the islands of Luçon, the Pintados, and the other islands, which he governs and rules for King Don Ffelipe, our sovereign, king of Castilla (whom may God preserve during many years). He ordered me to come to treat with you for the alliance that your father Sulatan so earnestly desired with the Castilians; to enroll you under the protection of the said king, our sovereign; and to warn you of the great error under which you and all the natives of this island are living because you do not know your Creator--who is three persons yet the one and only true God who created all men, the heavens, and the earth--so that, believing on Him, you might merit the enjoyment of the heaven that He created for those who believe and serve Him. At the entrance of this river I met Umapas, a slave of yours, who told me that he was going with a letter and message from you to the said governor, wherein you say that you wish to be his ally. In acknowledgment, you were sending two daggers and two cakes of wax. I ordered him to return to you, in order to tell you that I was coming for the purposes above; and that you should not flee or have any fear, for I was not coming, nor had I commission, to molest you in any way. But the said Umapas answered that he did not dare go upon this embassy for you would behead him. Likewise I sent to you one day prior to this two of your slaves (whom I seized on the sea in a ship), that they might advise you of my coming and that you should have no fear. You refused however to observe this; and not only have you fled and revolted, but you have caused the entire district and its chiefs to revolt. They desire to have peace with the Castilians and to be under the protection of the said king, our sovereign. But you have counseled them evilly; for, like a stripling, you do not know the blessings and advantages which you are losing, and which would be yours if you became the ally of the Castilians and placed yourself under the control of the said governor, both for your own and your land's tranquillity, and for your soul's salvation. Now this is the twenty-fourth day of this my stay in this river, without having injured you in any way, although I had good warrant therefor, and during which time I ascended the river of Balete in search of you, and then returned to this your village. Thence I sent messengers to tell you the above, none of whom have returned with a reply from you or have dared to talk with you. Now I am going to the island of Jolo to confer with its chief. I request you urgently to consider well what I have said for it concerns you much. I shall await your reply at Cavite and shall be able to receive it within twelve days. May God give you grace to come to His knowledge.

Your friend, _Gabriel de Ribera_

By order of the captain:

_Benito de Mendiola_, notary of the fleet

This said letter in the above form written in the Moro speech and signed by the said captain before me, the said notary and before witnesses, was given and delivered on this day, the sixth of April of this year, to Sibandao, an Indian chief of this town, so that he might give it to the said Limasancay. Sibandao, through the said interpreter, offered to take it and deliver it to Limasancay. In order that it might appear in the records, this copy was inserted. The said captain and the said interpreter signed it. Witnesses were Francisco Velazquez, Lope de Catalina, and Juan Lopez de Queto.

_Gabriel de Ribera_ _Miguel Godines_

Before me:

_Benito de Mendiola_, notary of the fleet

This is a well and faithfully executed copy of a commission given to Lope de Catalinaga by the illustrious captain, Gabriel de Ribera, who comes to pacify these islands of Mindanao and Jolo, by order of the very illustrious Doctor Francisco de Sande, of his Majesty's council and governor and captain-general of these islands. Its tenor is as follows:

I, Grabiel de Ribera, captain of infantry and of the fleet and people who come to pacify the islands of Jolo and Bindanao, at the order of the very illustrious governor and captain-general for his Majesty of these islands: Inasmuch as the instructions of the said governor ordered me to send some one from the town of Santísimo Nombre de Jesus to pacify the river and tingues [mountains] of Butuan; and considering how much we may shorten the long voyage by going from this district of Cavite instead of from the said town, and that we have here ships and rowers suitable for this undertaking--therefore in the name of his Majesty I entrust the said expedition to Sergeant Lope de Catalinaga. I order him to go as leader for the said pacification with fifteen soldiers besides himself. I order him to go with the said soldiers to the said river and tingues of Butuan to pacify the said people in the tingues. He shall try to render them obedient to his Majesty, making the best possible terms of peace by means of interpreters whom he is taking. From the natives of the said tingues, when they are pacified, he shall have power to collect such tribute as in all fairness can be collected from them. As he has the matter in hand, he shall do what is most convenient in this. Having collected the tribute, he shall keep one-half of it very carefully, as it belongs to his Majesty. The other half, according to his Lordship's orders, shall be divided among his soldiers, according to custom. Everything that shall be done upon this expedition shall be attested by notary; and I authorize him to appoint one, before whom shall be transacted all the proceedings necessary, so that an account may be rendered of everything. I order all his soldiers to regard, consider, and obey him as their leader, and observe his orders, under such penalties as he may inflict. Given in Cavite on the fourteenth of April, one thousand five hundred and seventy-nine.

_Gabriel de Ribera_

By order of the captain:

_Benito de Mendiola_, notary of the fleet

Collated with the original:

_Benito de Mendiola_, notary of the fleet

In the port of Cavite, on the fourteenth of April, one thousand five hundred and seventy-nine, after his arrival at this port, the illustrious Gabriel de Ribera, captain of infantry and of the fleet and people who came to pacify the islands of Mindanao and Jolo, by order of the very illustrious governor of these islands, saw in this port three vessels manned with Joloans. These vessels contained about fifty persons from the said island of Jolo. The said captain summoned them to his presence, and through the said interpreters, Laquian and Miguel Godines, asked them who they were. They replied that, when the captain was going to the river of Mindanao, he had sent a Boholan Indian to notify them to collect the tribute, as the said captain would come for it on his return. Therefore they, as soon as they heard this, went thither to confer with the said captain. The said captain asked them why they had left their village, and [had not] collected their tribute, since he had sent to tell them that they should have it ready; whereupon they all answered with one voice that the chief named Rasea had gone to Borney, four months ago, with a galliot and four vireys full of people, to the number of about three hundred. These had gone with the said chief to settle in Borney. Those left were about two hundred men, who were all reduced to despair through the great famine which they are suffering and have suffered since Esteban Rodriguez was in their village, and because of the damage inflicted upon them by the said Esteban Rodriguez. The said Esteban Rodriguez had told them that they would not be assessed tribute for two years. For this reason the people had gone to look for food in other islands. They had collected fifty-seven tributes, which they brought, with the request that his Grace would not go to the said village of Jolo because of the severe famine there; if he did, they must all abandon it. The said captain asked them if they had caught the elephants as the said captain Esteban Rodriguez had ordered and which they had promised to his Lordship. They said they knew nothing of this and that if elephants had been promised, it was by Raja Yloi; but he had gone to Borney and it was impossible for them to catch any alive. The said captain went outside secretly, and informed himself, through the said interpreters, from the Boholan who had been sent, and from the people of this port of Cavite, regarding the famine from which the said Indians asserted they were suffering. These declared that it was very well known and true, and was current talk on this coast, that the said Raja Ylo had gone to Borney with the people above mentioned; and that, in the opinion of the people who came from the island of Jolo, there will be much famine in the future. They are a poor people and in need of food. All of them begged among the ships of the fleet, and in the Spanish tongue, that, for the love of God, _humay_ be given them for they are hungry. It was seen that they gave their weapons and clothes in exchange for rice. Thereupon the captain ordered the tributes brought by them, as they said, to be placed before him. They brought some robes, daggers, dishes, and articles of slight value and price, and cloth of their land, but no gold or silver. When the said captain saw how slight was the tribute and that it was in almost worthless articles, and as he had heard that there was a large field-piece in the village of Jolo, taken from the lost galley, he said that, since they did not have the tribute collected and were so pressed by dire need, he would have pity and not take the tribute, on condition that they would give the said piece. They said they would all assemble and discuss this, and they asked the said captain to await them there until they returned to Jolo. His Grace told them that this would trouble him considerably because of his great lack of food; but that he would send Pedro de Oseguera in a fragata to bring back the said piece, and to ascertain whether they had told him the truth. Thereupon that very night he ordered the said Pedro de Oseguera to get ready and embark with ten soldiers in the said fragata. He was to go to the said island of Jolo and examine the people and their settlement and ascertain their need of food. He was to take note of everything, charging his men to act cautiously, and was not to land or molest the natives. The said Pedro de Oseguera left that night to execute this commission, in order to take back the tributes that the said natives had brought, and took them.

Witnesses, Francisco Velazquez, Juan Davila, Melchor de Torres, and many other soldiers.

Before me:

_Gabriel de Ribera_ _Benito de Mendiola_, notary of the fleet

In the port of Cavite, on the nineteenth day of the month of April of the said year, Pagalugan and other chiefs and timaguas of the island of Taguima [Basilan] appeared before the said captain in the presence of me, the notary, and of witnesses. They said that they brought to his Grace, in recognition of tribute (for they knew the fleet needed food), twenty fowls, twenty pieces of colored medriñaque, three hogs, and one _chivanta_ of wax in four pieces. They said that they had paid their tribute to Juan Lopez de Aguirre in civet-cats, fowls, swine, goats, and cloth. They came also to find out to whom they must pay the tribute hereafter, and how much they must pay. The captain asked how many people they were and how they could pay their tribute. Through the said interpreters they replied that they could pay their tribute in wax, civet-cats, tortoise-shell, and colored cloth. With the tinguianes [mountaineers] they number about one thousand men more or less. Upon this day the captain, seeing the fleet's need of food and the slight prospects for getting any, ordered all the said vessels of this fleet to return to the town of Santísimo Nombre de Jesus.

Witnesses, Melchor de Torres, Francisco Gomes, and others.

Before me:

_Gabriel de Ribera_ _Benito de Mendiola_, notary of the fleet

In the port called Dapitan, on the twenty-third day of the month of April of the said year, Pedro de Osegura, whom his Grace had sent to the island of Jolo, as above recorded, and who arrived at this port today with the men and fragata that he had taken, appeared before the said captain, and in the presence of me, the notary, and of witnesses. He said that, in fulfilment of his Grace's orders, he had gone to the said island of Jolo. He anchored at the mouth of the river there, for four days. As soon as he arrived he summoned the chiefs. They came, and through the said interpreter Laquian he learned from them that Raja Ylo, with the Indians of the island--three hundred men, and their women-with his wives, children, slaves, and all his possessions, had gone to settle in Borney. He [Oseguera] tried also to learn who had remained, whether they had a famine, as reported. He was told that not more than one hundred and forty Indians remained and that, they were suffering a most severe famine. He ordered them to bring the piece that was said to be inland. In three hours they brought one to him, and he brought it hither in his fragata. It seems to be of about twelve or thirteen quintals' weight. Thinking that they were lying in regard to the people and their poverty, he insisted upon asking them for the tribute, telling them that everyone who becomes his Majesty's vassal, pays that recognition, as a return for his Majesty's expenses in his fleets. They showed so great poverty, and were so little able to give anything, that, although he had the chiefs on his vessel and sent them to notify all the Indians of the land that they must bring tribute in three days, not forty Indians came with tribute--and that was in dishes, cloth, and articles of but little worth. The chiefs told him to go ashore and see for himself that there were no more people. Consequently he bargained with an Indian, a timagua of the said island (the one who had owned the said cannon), as he learned that the Indian had traded for it with others; and gave back to them the fifty-seven tributes given them by the captain. Then he returned to the fleet. This was his declaration, and he affixed his signature thereto. Witnesses, Juan Davila and Francisco Gomez.

_Gabriel de Ribera_ _Pedro Brizeno de Oseguera_

Before me:

_Benito de Mendiola_, notary of the fleet

Thereupon, upon this said day, Pedro de Oseguera declared before the said captain that the said Indians of Jolo had given, in token of tribute, forty-three tributes, consisting of two tacs of gold, nineteen pieces of colored medriñaque, and eight tributes in dishes, a total of forty-three--besides the fifty-seven that were taken on account for the piece. The full total is one hundred, and he delivered them to the the captain. Witnesses, the above-named persons.

_Gabriel de Ribera_ _Pedro Brizeno de Oseguera_

Before me:

_Benito de Mendiola_, notary of the fleet

In the town of Santísimo Nombre de Jesus, on the eighth day of the month of May, of the said year, the said captain said that, inasmuch as his Lordship, the governor of these islands, ordered in the instructions given him for the said expedition that one-half of the tributes be given to his Grace's soldiers and the other half to his Majesty; and having seen the small amount collected and its little value, and the great lack in this town of food for this fleet: therefore he ordered that all the tributes of cloth and gold be delivered over and divided among the four ships commanded by Francisco Velazquez, Tome de la Ysla, Juan Rodriguez de Norvega, and Alonso Pimentel, respectively. He ordered that it be inspected in order to make a note thereof. There were forty-four pieces of colored medriñaque and forty maes of gold. Therefore each ship received eleven pieces of cloth and ten maes of gold, which was delivered to the above officers, and they gave receipts for it. Witnesses were [Juan Lopez de] Queto, Francisco del Castillo [MS. illegible]. The captain affixed his signature.

_Gabriel de Ribera_ _Benito de Mendiola_, notary of the fleet

In the city of Manila on the tenth day of the month of June, one thousand five hundred and seventy-nine, the very illustrious Doctor Francisco de Sande, governor and captain-general for his Majesty in these islands of the West, after examining these records, ordered that I, the said notary, make two copies of them all, signed and attested, so that they may have authority. I was ordered to give and deliver them to him, to be sent wherever was most fitting for his Majesty's service. In each one of them he said that he would sanction them, and he did thus sanction by his authority and judicial decree, so that they may be valid and have credibility in court or out of court. He affixed thereto his signature.

_Doctor Francisco de Sande_

And I, Alonso Beltran, notary of his royal Majesty and of the government of the Filipinas islands of the West, was present at the above proceeding. I had him affix his signature and affixed my own in testimony of truth.

_Alonso Beltran_, his Majesty's notary

_[Endorsed at beginning_: "Testimony and proceedings in regard to the expeditions to Burney, Jolo, and Mindanao which were made during the past year (seventy-eight) and this one (seventy-nine) by command of the very illustrious Doctor Francisco de Sande, governor and captain-general of the Philipinas Islands of the West. These papers are forwarded for his Majesty and his royal Council of the Indies."]

Appointments to Vacancies in Manila Cathedral

The king. [42] To our governor of the Filipinas islands. When we heard that there were not sufficient tithes for the support of four prebendaries in the cathedral church which is to be erected in those islands, we ordered you in our decree of the thirteenth day of July of the past year 1579, to give them from our treasury a competent stipend, which was to be in proportion to the amount yielded by the said tithes. Now the said bishop has reported that, in case the said prebends or other benefices which were to be established in the said church become vacant, it would be necessary to defer the appointment of other persons thereto until orders could be despatched from here; and thus the said church would remain without the divine service. In view of this inconvenience, he petitions us to give orders that, whenever dignities, canonries, and other benefices of the said church become vacant, they shall immediately be filled by other worthy persons, with the same stipends as those received by their predecessors; or to order what else is our pleasure. With the approval of our Council of the Indies, we favor this; and therefore order you that, whenever the said dignities, canonries, and other benefices of the cathedral church in those islands shall become vacant, you fill them with competent persons of the required rank, who shall serve in the place of those through whom the vacancy occurs, at the same stipend as that received by their predecessors, until we make our appointments.

_I, The King_

By order of his Majesty:

_Antonio de Eraso_

Letter from Ronquillo de Penalosa to Felipe II

Royal Catholic Majesty:

This city has begged me to inform your Majesty about three things solicited by the citizens. May your Majesty command accordingly by a royal decree addressed to me, in order that I may inform them if these things are fitting for the service of your Majesty.

First, that your Majesty may have me informed whether it is convenient that this city be the capital of this government. At present it is the largest city, has the largest population, and is the best governed in this kingdom. It is well situated, so that from it the governor may easily reach the settlements in these islands. Although the place is unhealthful, it would nevertheless for the present be convenient that this city be the capital of this government and the headquarters of the governor.

As to whether the repartimientos of the Indians should be made permanent, I will say that at present such a course would be by no means beneficial to your royal service, as it would cause the soldiers to lose the hope of being rewarded for their services. Those who are now here would not serve and no others would come to this land.