Chapter 9

They came in sight of the enemy on this day, Saturday, and having joined Don Luys de las Marinas in Tondo and General Juan de Alcega, they attacked the enemy. The latter were in three squadrons, of forty companies of one hundred and eighty men apiece; and most of them were ambushed with their colonel. Our men were not dismayed one whit by this; on the contrary, they were animated by their justice in the matter and by Spanish spirit. They made so furious an attack that they forced the enemy to retire very quickly. Eager for victory, our men went pressing on after them, so that, when they saw the trickery of the enemy's retreat and wished to do the same, they were unable to--on the one hand, because they had entered a swamp, and were up to their knees in the bog; and on the other, because the enemy had surrounded them, and they were unable to use their arquebuses and other weapons. Thus they were all killed with clubs and cutlasses, and only four escaped, who had retreated when they saw the multitude of the enemy. This event was indeed one of lamentation and grief, and news of it immediately spread all over the country, whereat great grief was felt. However, the truth was not known with certainty for a week, in accordance with the governor's command, in order not to cause so great pain suddenly. The enemy sought shelter in their camp, whither they took the heads of our men strung on some bejucos. The three principal ones--namely, those of good Don Luis de las Marinas, General Juan de Alcega, and Captain Don Tomas--were placed above the gates of their camp, and they made great merriment, while waiting the night. Then they took the heads of the others, and carried them to the Parian, opposite the city. There many revolted with them, but more than one thousand eight hundred Sangleys remained in the Parian--mostly merchants and mechanics--who cautiously wished to be on their guard, in order that, if those of their nation should gain the land, they might join these; but if the Spaniards should obtain the victory, they would say that they were guiltless in the insurrection. On Sunday, and until noon of the following Monday, the governor, accompanied by all the Audiencia, visited the Parian, where he gave what orders seemed advisable. The Sangley merchants told them that they were friendly to the Castilians, and that his Lordship should decide what he would command to be done with them. The governor answered to this that they should place their property within the city, and that a location would be assigned them where they would be safe under their guards. The Sangleys did not wish to accede to this, but placed a great amount of property in the city. The governor, seeing that they did not wish to enter, ordered each one to be given a certificate granting him life; and had them told that he who did not have one of these would be regarded as one who had come from the enemy's camp. After this resolution the governor and Audiencia left the Parian on Monday at noon. On the morning of that day, some Spaniards and four hundred Japanese had left the city, at the governor's orders, to attack the enemy. They did so and killed more than fifteen hundred men, and burned all their food. This obliged them to break camp and to return toward the city, marching in three squadrons, numbering fifteen hundred men. Every moment they were joined by bands of two hundred and three hundred. They assembled in a town called Dilao, situated about three musket-shots from the city, at twelve o'clock in the morning. They united all their forces, and carried on operations from a very strong large stone house, which was the chapel of Nuestra Señora de Candelaría. Two days before, her image had been carried into the city in most solemn procession. On that day it rained heavily, and as those in the houses were fearful lest the enemy would set fire to their dwellings, they had removed the nipa [20] with which they were covered. In the houses built of stone and tile there was not standing-room, as all or most of the people gathered there, both women and children, and those incapable of bearing arms. All was confusion and lamentation, because of this, and since more than sixteen hundred Sangleys were in sight of the city. Most of the people distributed themselves along that part of the wall; and in the cavaliers and ravelins were mounted pieces of artillery. Until now no resolution had been taken whether to put to the sword those Sangleys who remained in the Parián, or to set the Parián afire, or to let the people benefit from the sack of it, which was worth more than eighty thousand pesos. However there was no opportunity for this, as the enemy's camp was so near, that now those Sangleys in the chapel were communicating with and going to those in the Parián, and those in the Parian to the chapel. Consequently it was resolved to burn it. This was done with great haste, for Divine justice was apparently showing that such sins as were committed there were deserving of such a penalty. When the Sangleys who had remained in the Parián perceived that it was burning, they packed up as much of their possessions as possible and went to the other side of the river, where stood the residences of the wealthy merchants. That afternoon a council of war was held in the enemy's camp. They determined to send late that night Sangleys in pairs to the walls, to ascertain whether we had any artillery, and whether all the people manning the walls were Spaniards; for they thought that this was not possible, unless we had brought the images of the saints which were in the church. They did not think wrong, either way, for they were a thousand holy religious, who had laid aside their holy habits for such an occasion, and they were encouraging all with holy words and valorous deeds, and now with musket, now with arquebus, pike, or spear, and sword and buckler, were standing as sentries and helping on the walls day and night. The enemy began to make grimaces and gestures within musket-range, making obeisances, and doing other things worthy of their shamelessness. In reply, they remained there as if born there, so that of the many Sangleys who came, it was found that only one escaped, and that all were killed with the balls fired at them from the walls; for both day and night, no one took his eyes from the enemy, who went retreating to the river in the midst of his camp, for the other side of it was defended by a wall, and that precaution was not a bad one, if it had availed anything. Thursday morning, on the seventh or the said month, the governor and council of war determined to attack the enemy. Between eight and nine o'clock, one hundred and fifty Spanish arquebusiers and five hundred Japanese left the city, under command of Sargento-mayor Gallinato, who was accompanied by other captains. Attacking with greater spirit than concert, the Japanese entered in the vanguard, and the Spaniards in the rear, and assaulted the Sangleys. They gained the gate of the river, and the chapel, where the camp was situated. They killed five hundred men, besides wounding many others. They gained possession of the enemy's flags. Then the Sangleys, perceiving that the Spaniards were becoming greedy, attacked them on both sides with more than fourteen hundred men--and so vigorously, that the Spaniards were compelled to retire, in spite of their disinclination, when they saw the Japanese retreating as rapidly as possible. Consequently they were forced to turn and retreat to the city, and to lose what had been gained. The enemy with loud cries went to attack in their course the gates of the city and the lowest and weakest part of its wall. All the army hastened to that side, to the assistance of those on the walls. They kept their matches ready, and, with each pikeman between two arquebusiers, Sargento-mayor Gallinato retreated to the city. As soon as he was in safety, the artillery began to play, and gave the enemy a shower that softened their fury, and compelled them to halt upon recognizing their danger. Sargento-mayor Gallinato, encouraging his men, attacked anew, issuing with his men by the lower gate, and the city was very joyful on that account. As soon as they had cleared the country, they halted, in order that the same thing might not again happen as before. Had they not been near the city walls, and had not Sargento-mayor Gallinato with only ten soldiers defended the bridge with great spirit, they would all have been killed. After this Gallinato sent to the governor asking for orders, for the men were fatigued and the sun extremely hot, while he was badly used by two wounds with stakes that he had received. Such are the weapons used by the Sangleys; and they first wound with the point like a spear and then draw it through from behind, with so much force that they cut a man all to pieces. The governor ordered them to retire, and they did so accordingly. Having informed the governor of what had happened, a spark fell into a flask full of powder and burned three people. From that another spark fell into a jar full of powder and burned five more soldiers. And had not the sargento-mayor been so agile, it would have injured him. Meanwhile those in the Parian were not rejoicing when they saw that, the day before, half of the Parian had been burned. As men determined to conquer or die they came that night in two machines that they had made with so great skill that one side was low and the other high so that they overtopped the walls of the city; thus they could with very little trouble throw thirty men into the city each time when they attacked. Behind these machines came a great throng of Sangleys, of whom the fury of the artillery killed a great number. At the same time the artillery broke up the machines. At this juncture reënforcements of one thousand men entered the city--Pampanga Indians, comprising arquebusiers and pikemen. They sallied out with some Spaniards and attacked the enemy. They killed more than a thousand of them and set fire to the rest of the Parian. In the fire three hundred of the most important and richest merchants were burned. These, in order not to die at the hands of our men, hanged themselves and burned themselves alive with their belongings. The Japanese, seeing that the Pampanga Indians were destroying and sacking the Parian with great fury, gradually joined them. Together they killed all the Chinese whom they met, and went away, this man with a chest, this one with a pair of breeches, [and others with] bags filled with silks and rich articles. But no Spaniard had any leave to take part in the sack. However, some who took part in it, at all hazards, profited very much from the enemy. The sack lasted all the afternoon and part of the night. The enemy, upon seeing the Parian burned in every part, and their goods lost, were discouraged. Having held a council that night, they very silently went to a village called San Pablo. They were pursued by Don Luys de Velasco with five hundred Spaniards and one thousand Indians, by order of Governor Don Pedro de Acuña, before they reached San Pablo. The Sangleys killed of our men six Spaniards and four Japanese, but it cost them fifteen hundred of their men. So great was their number, and the confusion among all of them, that our men did not hesitate to kill as many of them as they met on the road and elsewhere. The governor immediately sent word to his Majesty's villages and ordered them not to spare any, but to put to the sword whomsoever they found. Of all the Chinese, except thirty who were taken to the city--and who died Christians, to all appearances, for they asked for the water of holy baptism--no others are known to have taken the road to salvation, out of more than twenty thousand who were infidels. The governor having seen that they were killing all the Sangleys in the islands, ordered, for just reasons, that none of those coming to the city should be killed. As soon as this news was given out, about four hundred came. Had they been ten thousand, they would have been received, for they were needed in the city. They all accused Bautistilla, a Christian, who, as above stated, was their governor, saying that he was the cause of the insurrection, and that he had been made king of all the country. They also accused Miguel Onte and Alonso Sagoyo--both Christian Sangleys, and the chiefest men. Having taken their depositions, and through the sufficient proof that was furnished, since all blamed Bautistilla, the latter was condemned to be hanged and quartered, and his head set in the Parian. He was declared a traitor, and his property confiscated for his Majesty. His houses were razed and their sites sown with salt. This sentence proceeded from the royal Audiencia, and was executed on the eleventh of the month of October. At the foot of the scaffold he said that that death was not due him for his conduct, and that he had always been a loyal vassal of his Majesty; and that God knew what was in his breast, and the thoughts of his heart. He died with the marks of a good Christian. Then on the fifteenth day of the said month, the two Christian Sangleys were executed. They were condemned by the sargento-mayor and master-of-camp. One of them, in order to save himself, declared that the mandarins had come with the cunning purpose of spying out the land, and that the insurrection had been by their orders. He said that they were coming soon to attack the city, and that the Spaniards should not neglect to act very carefully. Accordingly the governor set about taking all necessary measures. He and the sargento-mayor worked in a way wonderful to behold. May God strengthen their hands! Four days later, when the enemy had fortified themselves quite strongly in San Pablo, Captain Don Luys de Velasco went out at the head of sixty Spaniards. Having reached the _calaco_, he attacked so spiritedly that the Sangleys retreated. He entered the camp of the enemy in his eagerness, whereupon, uttering loud cries, they returned in a large mob to attack him, so that it cost him his life and those of four soldiers. The others, on seeing their captain killed, retreated and went down the mountain. This news reached the city, whereupon Sargento-mayor Ascoeta went Out with 220 Spanish arquebusiers, 400 Japanese, 2,000 Pampanga Indians (of whom 1,500 were arquebusiers and musketeers, and the others were armed with spears, swords and arrows), 200 Monos, [21] and 300 blacks, who came as friends to take part in this war. After having gone only seven leguas, they met the enemy, and having rested four days, they formed their camp. After having found where the enemy could retreat, and holding them at every point, they attacked the Sangleys, of whom they killed more than four hundred. Their master-of-camp retreated to a little elevation near by, after defending himself with great courage. Our men rested until morning of the next day, when they went to give them the "Santiago," and killed fourteen hundred. Three hundred fled, and hid in the thickets and woods there-about. Our men fortified themselves with the food that the enemy had there. On the morning of the following day they went in pursuit of the three hundred who had hidden and attacked them, and not one of them was left alive. This victory was obtained without the death of more than twelve Christian Indians. Our camp rested for three days, and on the fourth began to march to another village, on the seashore, called Batangas. There they found a troop of twenty-five hundred hostile Sangleys with ships and boats, with the intention of going to their own country. After five days' march our leader sighted the enemy, whereupon he ordered a halt and drew up his men. On the morning of the next day he gave battle with great fury, and killed one thousand one hundred and two Sangleys. The rest, badly crippled, sought refuge in the mountains in the interior. The Spaniards did not go in pursuit of them, for they were very tired after their six hours of fighting, while some were wounded. Consequently Sargento mayor Ascoeta sent an Indian chief, one Don Ventura de Mendoça, with two hundred Pampanga Indians, to pursue them. In a few days all the Sangleys were killed. After this good result and victory the sargento-mayor retired with his camp, without losing a man outside of twelve Indians and one Japanese, while seventeen Spaniards were wounded. The most dangerously wounded was the captain of the guard, Martin de Herrera, who was wounded with two spear-thrusts through the thighs. He has proved himself a very honorable and gallant soldier on all occasions. The sargento-mayor immediately sent a messenger to the governor, to tell him of the victory. This was on the twelfth of November, at eleven o'clock on St. Martin's day. After the arrival of this news another piece of news, of no less importance to this country, was received, namely that the king of Mindanao wishes peace with us. As security he sent his son and his nephew as hostages, and with them all the Christians captive in his land. He offered to help the governor as a true friend. It is a notable thing that even the animals have tried to show the mortal hate that ought to be extended toward this canaille. Many thanks have been and are given to our Lord for all. Hence the most holy sacrament has been exposed for forty days. Every monastery has observed its octave with great solemnity and processions, accompanied ever by their good mother [_i.e._, the Virgin] and the propitious St. Francis, by whose help we have obtained the victory on all occasions offered us. The plans of the Sangleys were as follows. On the day of St. Francis, both workmen and merchants were to enter as usual into the city, some of the merchants with shoes and others with clothes. The barber was to attend to his duties. Then with four Sangleys in each house, they were to put all the Spaniards to the sword, reserving the Spanish women. These they had already distributed, the young girls for their enjoyment and the old women to serve in the house. For this purpose each of them was to carry a catan, or sort of cutlass, under their long robes. Besides this they had ordered a body of five hundred to assemble, who were to assault the monastery of St. Francis, and leave no one alive there. Doubtless they would have killed all according to this plan, if God our Lord had not been pleased, in His divine mercy, to disclose it, the day before. Although there had been some rumors of the insurrection nine days before, the Spaniards would never believe it; for the life of the Spaniard is all confidence, and he thinks no one can dare to do such things. The cause of the enemy dividing into so many troops was the factions among them, so that out of the more than 22,00[0] Sangleys in all these islands, not 800 have survived. [22] On the twenty-fourth of October they began to dig the trench about the city wall, at which three hundred men, all Sangleys, worked. The one thousand Moros were engaged in other works, not only on the fort and in the new retreat, but on the wall and the supplies for it. The ditch is seventy feet wide and two estados deep. As soon as the war began, three hundred Sangley Christians who lived in Tondo and Minondo embarked in some small boats with their wives and children, and went down the river to the governor, to whom they said that they had no wish to revolt. These were sent away safely, and returned to their houses. The Spaniards are living with great caution toward them, for they are treacherous and cunning in what they do. They exercise their trades in this city. Each of them is considered as well employed, in exchange for which they must not commit offenses as in the past, which were great and numerous. On the fourteenth of November, Sargento-mayor Ascoeta entered this city, marching in good order with his camp, both Spaniards, and the Pampanga Indians and Japanese. They brought in the banners won from the enemy. They were very well received by the governor and Audiencia, and by all the city. Don Pedro showered a thousand compliments on all the Pampanga captains for their good services. They were much pleased at this, and offered their persons, lives, and possessions to the service of his Majesty. The Japanese and Pampangas had a share in all the wealth of the booty, and it was large, for it consisted mainly of gold, silver, reals, and pearls.

I do not mention the stratagems of war, the instructions, and the orders throughout the course of it, in order not to prove wearisome, and, moreover, to leave them for one who can write them in a better style. Only, as an eye-witness, I affirm what I have here told, and that all in general have behaved themselves very well as honorable soldiers (especially the leaders), both of the ecclesiastics and of the laymen; and that in this, as in other matters, our Lord has shown us a thousand favors.

Among the enemy's flags were two that contained characters in the Sangley language, which, translated into our Castilian vernacular, read as follows:

"The leader and general of the kingdom of España ... [23] so that all the Chinese take part together in this affair and obey us by destroying root and branch these hostile robbers, whom we have against our will, both Castilians and Japanese. We the Sangleys swear that after the conquest of this city we shall share the lands, even to the very herbs, with equal shares, as brothers." That which gave the traitor Bautistilla more courage in undertaking so great a treason was a stratagem and subtilty which he employed to know those on his side. This was to order each Sangley to bring a needle and deliver it into his hand. This they did, and he put the needles in a little box. He thus ascertained that twenty-two thousand one hundred and fifty Sangley Indians could gather in Manila on the last of November, the day of St. Andrew, patron of this country. He had determined and ordered that the insurrection be made on that day both in this city and in the other districts of these islands. But upon seeing the governor raising the wall and taking other precautions, because of the many rumors about the mandarins (who had departed to their own country, and which the governor did not believe), the traitor determined to make the attempt on the day of St. Francis, since our Lord permitted it thus for our welfare. Blessed be He forever! Amen!

On the tenth of December, Captain Marcos de la Cueva left this city as ambassador to the kingdom of China, accompanied by one hundred and forty Spaniards and two friars, in order to inform the eunuch who is the viceroy at Canton of the above events. Many thought that he ought not to go, for if the matter were learned there, and war-vessels were to come, then the island would be supplied with men to be able to receive them in the same manner; and if they came for peace they would be received in peace. In the latter case they were to be informed of the truth of the matter, to which the Christian law binds us, and told that we did not intend to take their possessions, or refuse to pay them what was owing them. Nevertheless, he went, ordered to do the contrary by the Council. May God direct everything for His holy service.