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
_Item_: You shall find out from them the whereabouts of the artillery
and anchors of a ship lost there some three years ago; and you shall
seek it and see that it be brought you with all haste. You shall
keep close watch over the artillery, ammunition, vessels, sails,
and other like things pertaining to the armed fleet; and you shall
deprive them of those supplies, for it is notorious that those people
are common marauders.
And because of my information that the chief who calls himself lord
of Xolo is a Bornean, and owns houses in this city of Borney; that
he fought against us in the naval battle, and that he fled to Xolo,
where he is now; and since I am told that he took two galleys and
three small vessels, artillery, and ammunition--you shall exercise
the utmost despatch to obtain the said galleys, vessels, artillery,
and ammunition. If he acquiesce, you shall give him a passport. You
shall see whether he has any children; and, if so, you shall take one,
and tell him that he must come to see me in Borney in February.
And, as I have said, this must be done if possible gently, in order
that no people may be killed. You shall tell them that it will be
to their advantage to be vassals of his Majesty, and our allies. If
they do not act respectfully, and it shall be necessary to punish
them in another manner, you shall do so. And inasmuch as the Joloans,
as is well known, are open pirates, whose only ambition is to steal,
and to assault men in order to sell them elsewhere--especially as
they go annually for plunder among all the Pintados Islands, which
are under his Majesty's dominion--you shall try to ascertain the
Pintados slaves among them, in order to return such to their homes,
especially those who are Christians. And, as I have said, you shall
deprive them of such vessels as seem to be used for raids, leaving
them their fishing-vessels, so that if the said lord of Jolo so desire,
he can come to confer reasonably with me. Thus you shall ascertain who
has vessels, and who can inflict injuries; and you shall command them
expressly to settle down in their land, to cultivate, sow, and harvest,
develop the pearl industry, and cease to be pirates. You shall order
them to raise fowls and cattle. You shall try to ascertain their
number, and bring it to me in writing, in order that I may see it,
together with the distance from these islands to the Jolo Islands,
information regarding the food, water, and healthfulness of that land,
and other things that may occur to you. And you shall tell the people,
in my name, that they shall tame for me a couple of elephants; and
that I shall send for those animals and pay for them.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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