CHAP. III.
Robert Parke translation
The kinge of China doth arme a fleete of shippes against the rouer Lymahon, who withdraweth himselfe to Touzuacaotican, whereas he hath notice of the Philippinas.
The complayntes increased euerie day more and more vnto the king and his counsell, of the euils doone vnto the Chinos by this rouer Lymahon. For the which commandement was giuen straightwaies vnto the uiceroy of that prouince (whereas he vsed to execute his euill), that with great expedition he might be taken (for to cut off this inconuenience), who in few dayes did set foorth to sea, one hundred One hundred and thirtie great ships of warre with fortie thousand men. and thirtie great shippes well appointed, with fortie thousand men in them, and one made generall ouer them all, a gentle man called Omoncon, for to go seeke and followe this rouer, with expresse commandement to apprehende or kill him, although to the executing of the same he put both shippes and men in danger.
They do more esteeme honor than losse of ships or men. Of all this prouision, Lymahon had aduertisement by some secrete friends, who seeing that his enemies were many, and he not able to counteruaile them, neither in shippes nor men, determined not to abide the comming, but to retire and depart from that coast: so in flying he came vnto an ilande in secrete called Touznacaotican, which was fortie leagues from the firme land, and is in the right way of nauigation to the Ilands Philippinas.
In this iland was Lymahon retyred with his armie a certaine time, and durst not returne to the firme land, for that he knew that the kinges fleete did lie vpon the coast to defende the same. And although he did send foorth some ships a robbing, yet did they not doo any thing of importance, but rather came flying away from the mightie power of the kinges. From this ilande they did goe foorth with some of their ships, robbing and spoyling al such as they met with marchandice and other things that they carried from one ilande to an other, and from the iland vnto the firme, and comming from thence amongst them all, they caused to take two ships of China which came from Manilla, and were bound to their owne countrie. And hauing them in their power they searched them vnder hatches, and found that they had rich things of golde, and Spanish ryalles, which they had in truck of their marchandice the which they carried to the ilandes. They informed themselues in all points of the state and fertilitie of that countrie, but in particular of the Spaniardes, and how many there were of them in the citie of Manilla, who were not at that present aboue seuentie persons, for that the rest were separated in the discouering and populing of other ilands newly found; and vnderstanding that these few did liue without any suspition of enimies, and had neuer a fort nor bulwarke, and the ordinance which they had (although it was very good), yet was it not in order to defend themselues nor offend their enemies, hee determined to goe thither with all his fleete and people, for to destroy and kill them, and to make himselfe lorde of the saide ilande of Manilla and other adiacent there nigh the same. And there he thought himselfe to be in securitie from the power of the king, which went seeking of him. And so, as he was determined, he put it in vre[1] with as much expedition as was possible.