The Philippine Islands, 1493-1803 — Volume 04 of 55: 1576-1582; Explorations by Early Navigators, Descriptions of the Islands and Their Peoples, Their History and Records of the Catholic Missions, as Related in Contemporaneous Books and Manuscripts, Showing the Political, Economic, Commercial and Religious Conditions of Those Islands from Their Earliest Relations with European Nations to the Beginning of the Nineteenth Century
History
The Philippine Islands, 1493-1803 — Volume 04 of 55: 1576-1582; Explorations by Early Navigators, Descriptions of the Islands and Their Peoples, Their History and Records of the Catholic Missions, as Related in Contemporaneous Books and Manuscripts, Showing the Political, Economic, Commercial and Religious Conditions of Those Islands from Their Earliest Relations with European Nations to the Beginning of the Nineteenth Century
Demarcation line of Alexander VI; Missions -- Philippines; Philippines -- Discovery and exploration; Philippines -- History -- Sources
The witness has heard that the said king of Borney holds
captive a Spaniard, named Diego Felipe, and two Christian Visayans,
whose names he does not know. This is what he knows, or is currently
reported, and what he has seen. He certified as to its truth, ratified
it, and signed it, in his own language, as did the said interpreter. He
was about thirty-one years old.
_Joan Ochoa Ttabudo_
Before me:
_Alonso Beltran_, his Majesty's notary
[Following this are depositions taken from four other men, two of them
natives of Borneo. The testimonies of all are very similar to the
foregoing, and show the policy of the king of Borneo. One testimony
declares that the king was wont to make the rich and influential
men who might land at his island captains, in order to retain their
wealth. The document continues:]
[_Letter to the king of Borneo_.]
I, Doctor Francisco de Sande, governor and captain-general for his
Majesty in these islands and districts of the West, by order of his
Majesty, the king of Castilla and Leon, my sovereign, Don Ffelipe,
the greatest king and most powerful sovereign in the world, send
this letter by these messengers to you, Outardo Soltan Lixar, king
of Borney, so that you may know my will, and what I require.
You know already how I, with the other captains and soldiers of the
Castilians live, by order of the king, our sovereign, in Manila, in
the island of Luçon, in Çubu, and in other districts. There in Manila,
Çubu, and other districts it has been rumored that you have tried and
are trying to do us harm, and to make war upon us; that you have tried
to induce and have solicited the natives of Luçon and other districts
to rebel and revolt against us; that you have sent spies to Çubu and
other districts; that you have left your residence for this purpose
of warring against us with a fleet of ships. All these things are
without any reason, and I know not what is the cause therefor; for my
will is good and I desire to show naught but good to all, and ill to
none. Since I am proceeding to confer with you openly and publicly, I
notify you that I am not coming to plunder or to harm you, but to prove
of use to you; for the king, my sovereign, orders thus, and accordingly
I gladly notify you that I am going to you. My sovereign, the king of
Castilla, spends his money through us, the Castilians, and sends us
into all parts of the world, in order that we might proclaim the law
of the true God. For this purpose I came hither; and now I am going
to confer with you, chiefly that you may know your God and Creator,
and to teach you the true law. I wish to do you no ill, nor to seize
your possessions; on the contrary, if you are our friend, I will aid
and defend you, according to the orders of the king, my sovereign. To
this end I offer you peace and friendship on our part, in such wise,
that there may be mutual security, on both sides, to go and to come,
to see one another, to trade and traffic, as is usual among friends.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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