Introduction

I write the Conquest of the Molucco Islands by King Philip the III. of Spain, and the reducing of their Kings to their former Subjection, to his Predecessors, by Don Pedro de Acunha, Governour of the Philippine Islands, and Admiral of the Spanish Fleet; a Victory worthy the Foresight of such a Godly Monarch, the Application of those worthy Statesmen that compose his supreme Council, and the Valour of our Nation; not so much on account of the Wealth, and Fertility of those Countries, as for that it took from the Northern Nations all occasion of Sailing in our Seas, and Debauching the new Converted Asiaticks, and the Inhabitants of our Colonies Trading among them.

The Celerity with which the Expedition was concluded, does not in the least diminish the Glory of the Event; which, for that very Reason, might rather deserve a place in a more ample Relation. I am sensible of the Dangers I expose my self to; but am no less satisfy’d, that I shall find some to stand by me. The most famous Painters, and Carvers, have generally a great value for Heads, Arms, and other Limbs, which have been drawn to perfection from the Life, by which they compose all the Parts, when they design some excellent Piece.

The ignorant in those Arts have no Esteem for such Fragments, being only taken with the entire Statue, or Picture, consisting of all its Limbs, without examining the Defects there may be in each of them. The Relation I undertake to write of these Islands will find the same Esteem, and be expos’d to no less Contempt; for the Judicious, who understand [2]how History is Compil’d, will value this part drawn to the Life; whereas those, who, as they say themselves, Read only to divert the Time, will make little account of it, as being more fond of some Romance, full of Monsterous Events; or of some bulkey Work, bearing the Title of a History, treating of numerous Armies, and mighty Slaughters, and bestowing the Success, not where Providence gave, but where they would have it. This is the Reason why many Things, worthy to be known and preserv’d, remain bury’d in Oblivion; because being left for General Histories, there are only slight Sketches of them Drawn at the Time when they hapned, by those who had a share in them, so that when these Manuscripts are to be made use of, either they are not to be found, or else they reduce the Writer to a necessity of subscribing to whatsoever either Self-Love, or any other Passion dictated to the Authors of such Memoirs, without any possibility of examining into the Truth.

To obviate this Inconveniency, in a matter of such moment as that of Ternate, the Capital of the Molucco Islands, I was Commanded to write an Account of it, at a time when they were still living who acted in and directed it: And I have such full Information of all that is requisite for this purpose, that I hope Truth will make amends for my want of Ability. This is as much as I have thought fit to Advertise the Reader, without entering upon the Advantage he will reap by perusing this Relation; because, if he is well affected, all I can say for it will be superfluous; and if otherwise inclin’d, tho’ I endeavour to set him right, he will never conceive it.

Kings of the Moluccos

Among the fourteen most potent Princes, who Lord it over the Archipelago of the Molucco Islands, under the Title of Kings, those of Ternate and Tydore boast of a Divine Original; such Liberty to be vain do Men take upon them, or so much do they ascribe to obscure Antiquity.

A Fable of their Original.

There is an ancient Tradition among those People, look’d upon as Sacred, That they were once Govern’d by a most Ancient Prince, called Bicocigara, who sailing along the Coast of Rachian, perceiv’d that among some craggy Rocks there were grown up abundance of Rotas, so they call a sort of solid Canes, which, when small, they make use of instead of Ropes.

He lik’d them, and order’d they should be cut down, and brought into his Vessel. His Subjects going to fulfil his Orders, and having search’d all the place, return’d to their Master, desiring he would look again, least his Eyes deceiv’d him, for they could meet with no such Canes. Bicocigara, who saw them distinctly from his Boat, was positive with his incredulous People, and order’d them again to be brought; but to decide the matter, went himself Ashore, where immediatly they appeared to them all. He commanded them to be cut down, and as they went about it, Blood ran from the Canes that were cut. Being astonish’d at that Prodigy, he discover’d close to the Roots of them four Eggs, which look’d like a Snakes Eggs, and at the same time heard a Voice, proceeding from the hollow of the Canes cut down, which said, Keep those Eggs; for from them shall come four excellent Governours. He took up those fatal Eggs, with Religious Respect, and carry’d them home, where they were kept in the best place of his House. In a short time, from the four Yolks proceeded four Rational Chickens, being three Men, and one Woman, who afterwards Reign’d, the first of them Bachian, the second in Butan, and the third over the Islands call’d [3]Papuas, lying East from the Moluccos. The Woman was Marry’d to Prince Loloda, who gave Name to the Country of Batochina, not far from the great Boconora.

This Fable has gain’d such Reputation, that they honour Bicocigara as a Hero, worship the Rocks, and adore the Eggs. The truth of it is, that the cunning Man, by this prodigious Superstition, Sanctify’d his own Race, and gain’d Kingdoms, and Respect for his four Children. So Greece feign’d, or beleiv’d, that Leda Conceiving of the Adulterous Swan brought forth the Eggs, from which came Castor, Pollux, and Helena. Fortune, when she raises Men to a high pitch, perswades those she designs to Crown, to lay the Foundation of their Majesty on Fables, resembling true Misteries, so to perswade the Multitude that they are somewhat Divine, and to distinguish the Royal Race by a peculiarity even in the Universal Law of being Born into the World. Of this Race thirteen Idolatrous Kings succeeded one another in Tydore, down to Sultan Tydore Bongue, the first that receiv’d the Mahometan Alcoran, tho’ intermix’d with Idolatry, which lasted above Eighty Years, and being confounded among the Precepts of that abominable Sect, bred Divisions, and Distractions among the People. Afterwards, when the Commander Brito arriv’d in that Island, as we shall soon see, he found a Caciz, or Priest, taught them the new Superstition, and that many oppos’d him, on account of the old Fable of the Eggs, which the Persian Morabout could never Decry; so great is the power of Error transmitted from our Fore-Fathers.

King Tydore Bongue’s Successor, was his Son Cachil Boleyfe, no less A false Prophesie.Supersticious than the Father, but in another way. He pretending to the Spirit of Prophecy, gain’d such Reputation, by the Experience and Foresight of his Riper Years, that he came to be Honour’d by his Subjects as a Prophet; or by the least Credulous, as a Person of singular Prudence, so that all Men gave Ear to him, as to an Oracle. Puffed up with this Vanity, he pretended to Fore-tell future Events; which when no particular Persons, or set Times are appointed, is a safe way of Predicting, without Danger of being found False; either because in process of Time something Accidentally happens, that may be adapted to the Prophecy, or in regard, that is always expected which will never come to pass. For this Reason, as in most Countries there are some current Notions of future Expectations, conceiv’d upon trivial Occasions, rather than any Observation of the Stars; therefore Boleyfe us’d to tell those about him, That the time would come, when Iron Men should arrive at Ternate, from the remotest parts of the World, and settle in its Territory; by whose Power the Glory, and Dominion of the Molucco Islands should be far extended.

In the Reign of King John the first, of Portugal, his Son, Prince Henry, First Discoveries. having employ’d several Persons on Discoveries, John Gonzales, and Tristan Vaz found the Island of Madera, in the Year 1419, and others soon after those of the Azores, and Cabo Verde, and ran along the Coast of Guinea and Africk. Afterwards, in the Reigns of King Edward, and Alonso the V. those Discoveries were continu’d, till under King John the II. they proceeded as far as the Cape of Good Hope, and a Hundred Leagues beyond it, along the Coast, call’d Rio del Infante. The honour of this Discovery is due to that famous Seaman Bartholomew Diaz, if we may believe the Manuscript Memoirs of Duarte Resende, for the Historian [4]Barros. This rais’d Emulation in the Spanish Nation, already engag’d in such Voyages, as having Discover’d the Western Islands, call’d Antilles, or Caribbee Islands. This Discovery occasion’d a Controversy about the Right to them, Portugal pretending to, and Spain defending its Possession. After much Contention, the Difference was adjusted by Ruy de Sousa, and Don John his Son, and Arias de Almada, Commission’d by Portugal, who in the Year 1404. agreed with the Spanish Embassador, That, since this inferior Globe, consisting of Earth and Water, answers to the Degrees into which the Celestial Sphere is divided, it should be equally parted between the two Kings, by a Meridian Line drawn through the North and South Poles, and compassing the Land and Sea, so as to cut them into two halves.

It was appointed, That the Share to the Eastward should belong to the Crown of Portugal, and the other to the Westward, to that of Castile; and that it should be so mark’d down on the Sea Charts; the Line passing through a fixt Point on the Earth, which was to be the Boundary of both Nations. This was by mutual Consent settled 360 Leagues West from Cabo Verde, and so the Line, or Meridian, fell upon the Country we call Brazil, about the most Westerly part of the Mouth of the River Maranhao, which disembogues there to the Northward. This Line cuts through that Country, and to the Southward runs off beyond the River of Plate, from whence the Spaniards begin to reckon their Degrees of Longitude Westward, and the Portugueses Eastward, 180 belonging to each of them, for as much as the whole Circumference of the Earth contains three hundred and sixty Degrees.

Vasco de Gama discovers India.Vasco de Gama, employ’d by King Emanuel of Portugal, to Discover and Conquer India, prosecuted this Enterprize, look’d upon by Ptolomy, as impracticable; he travers’d the main Ocean, within the Portuguese Division, where he Discover’d, and since the Portuguese Commanders have Conquer’d so many Kingdoms, Nations, and Islands, so distinct in Customs, Manners, Laws, Languages, and Colours. They returning home admir’d what they had seen, and lay’d it down in Maps, but stretching out the Longitude, that is the Distance from West to East, beyond what it really was; thus Craftily providing for the Controversy which might arise upon this Occasion, as it soon happen’d, through the Falshood of the Sea Charts.