History of the Philippine IslandsMorga, Antonio de
History
History of the Philippine Islands
Morga, Antonio de
Philippines -- History
During the same administration of Don Francisco Tello, in the year
one thousand six hundred, toward the end of the month of October,
a ship came from the province of Camarines with news that two ships,
a flagship and its almiranta, well armed and with foreign crews,
had entered and anchored in one of its northern bays, twenty leguas
from the channel and cape of Espiritu Sancto. Under pretense of
being friends of the Spaniards they asked, and bartered with, the
natives for rice and other provisions that they needed. Then they
weighed anchor and went away, making for the channel through which
they entered, after having left certain feigned letters for Governor
Don Francisco Tello, in which they declared themselves friends,
and that they were coming to Manila to trade by permission of his
Majesty. From this, and from a negro who escaped from these ships
by swimming to the island of Capul, and also through an Englishman,
[129] seized by the natives while on shore, we learned that these
ships were from Holanda, whence they had sailed in a convoy of three
other armed vessels, with patents and documents from Count Mauricio de
Nasao who called himself Prince of Orange, in order to make prizes in
the Indias. [130] Having entered the South Sea through the strait of
Magallanes, three of the five ships had been lost, and these two, the
flagship and the almiranta coasted along Chile, where they captured
two vessels. Then, having turned away from the coast of Lima, they
put out to sea and pursued their voyage, without stopping anywhere,
in the direction of the Filipinas, among which they entered with the
intention of plundering whatever might come their way. Having learned
that a galleon, named "Santo Tomas" was expected from Nueva España with
the money derived from the merchandise of two years' cargoes which had
been sent there from Manila; that in a few days merchant ships would
begin to arrive from China, by which they could fill their hands;
and that there were no galleys or armed ships at that season which
could do them any harm: they determined to go as far as the mouth of
Manila Bay, and stay there, supplying themselves with the provisions
and refreshments which might enter the city; and accordingly, they
carried out this resolution. The flagship named "Mauricio," with one
hundred men and twenty-four pieces of bronze artillery with ladles
[131] was under the command of Oliber de Nort [i.e., Oliver van
Noordt] of Amstradam. This ship was one of those which the count of
Leste had several years before at the taking of the city of Cadiz.
[132] The almiranta named "Concordia," with forty men and ten pieces
of artillery, was under command of Captain Lamberto Viesman of
Roterdam. When these ships were seen on the coast of Chile, Viceroy
Don Luis de Velasco, who was governor in Piru, despatched a fleet
of vessels well equipped with artillery and brave soldiers to follow
and pursue them along the coast of Piru and Nueva España, as far as
California.
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