Don Pedro de Acuña and Japan

In May 1602, 4 ships came to Manila from Nueva España with Don Pedro de Acuña.

He would be a new governor and president of the Audiencia.

He was knight of the Order of St. John, comendador of Salamanca, and lately governor of Cartagena in Tierra Firme.

Don Francisco Tello died in April 1603 due to illness.

De Acuña saw things so unstable and of so limited resources in the royal treasury.

He was worried that his reputation for solving things would be tarnished.

He began to construct galleys and other vessels in the shipyard, for there was great need of these, in order to defend the sea, which was full of enemies and pirates especially from Mindanao.

He discussed going immediately in person to visit the Visayas to supply quickly their needs which was causing the greatest anxiety..

But he had to postpone that several months to arrange for:

• the despatch of Japon and Jolo matters and
• the ships going to Nueva España

Chiquiro, the Japanese, arrived in Manila and delivered his message to Governor de Acuña, who had been in the government but a few days.

Friendship with Daifusama was profitable.

But the rest, namely, the trade and friendship with Nueva España, and the

Daifu insisted on sending of masters and workmen to build ships in Japon for that navigation to Nueva Espana.

The greatest security of the Spaniards from Japon was the Japanese’ lack of ships and their ignorance of navigation.

A moderate present of Spanish articles was sent to Daifu, in the same ship which had come, in return for what it had brought.

These Fray Geronymo was to give Daifu in person.

The Governor said:

• he would send a Spanish ship to trade at Quanto according to Daifu’s desire.
• he had no power to decide whether he could send master shipbuilders

With this despatch, Chiquiro sailed for Japon with his ship. But he got wrecked off the head of Hermosa Island, and neither the vessel nor its crew escaped.

News thereof was not received in Manila or in Japon until many days afterward.

Fray Geronymo de Jesus arrived in Japon and wrote of the changed conditions in Japon.

Daifu gave permission to Fray Geronymo de Jesus to make Christians and build churches.

And so the orders of St. Francis, St. Dominic, and St. Augustine went to Japan from Manila in Japanese ships which traded with flour.

The Order of St. Dominic sent to the kingdom of Zazuma 4 religious under Fray Francisco de Morales, [149] Prior of Manila, in a ship about to go to that island and province.

• They said that they had been summoned by its king, the only one who had not yet rendered homage to Daifusama.

The Order of St. Augustine sent 2 religious to the kingdom of Firando in a ship which had come from that port, under Fray Diego de Guebara, [150] Prior of Manila, because they had heard that they would be well received by its king.

The Order of St. Francis, in the ships about to sail to Nangasaqui, sent Fray Augustin Rodrigues, [151] who had been in Japon before with the martyrs, and a lay-brother, with orders to go to Miaco, to become associates of Fray Geronymo de Jesus.

The religious were received by the provinces:

• more coolly than expected
• with fewer conveniences than they needed for support
• with less inclination for conversion

Very few of the Japanese became Christians.

In fact, the kings and tonos of those provinces kept them to allow intercourse and commerce with the Spaniards.

They were not interested in the religion.

Governor de Acuña sent out a medium-sized ship “Santiago el Menor” [i.e., St. James the Less], with a captain and the necessary seamen and officers, and some goods of:

• red wood [152]
• deerskins
• raw silk [153]
• other things.

It was to go to Kanto where it would find discalced Franciscan religious and sell its goods and return with the exchange.

Thus Japanese matters were provided for, as far as seemed necessary, according to the state of affairs.

Daifusama waited for Chiquiro who did not return.

He said that he would keep Fray Augustin Rodriguez and another companion hostage until Chiquiro returned.

He allowed Fray Geronymo came to return quickly to Manila.

, where he learned of the message which Chiquiro had taken. Then he began to treat with Governor Don Pedro de Acuña, about his business, saying that Chiquiro had not yet arrived in Xapon, which gave rise to the suspicion that he had been wrecked.

The ship sent by the governor being unable to double the head of Xapon in order to pass to the north side, put into the port of Firando, where the religious of St. Augustine had had a station for a short time, and anchored there.

Thence the captain advised the court of Miaco that he had been unable to reach Quanto. He sent also the letters for the religious and what was to be given to Daifu.

The religious, Fray Geronymo’s associates, gave Daifu the presents which were for him, and told him that the governor was sending that ship at his disposition and command, but that the weather had not allowed it to reach Quanto.

Daifusama received the presents, although he did not believe what they told him, but that they were compliments to please him. He ordered the ship to get its trading done immediately, and to return with some things which he gave them for the governor, and thenceforward to go to Quanto as promised him.

Thereupon it returned to Manila.

Fray Geronymo de Jesus reached the Filipinas so quickly that he had opportunity to treat with Governor Don Pedro de Acuña, about the matters under his charge, from whom he received the promise that ships would continue to be sent to Quanto to please Daifusama.

Taking with him a good present, given him by the governor, consisting of a very rich and large Venetian mirror, glass, clothes from Castilla, honey, several tibores, [154] and other things which it was known would please Daifu, he returned immediately to Japon.

He was well received there by Daifu, to whom he communicated his message, and that his servant Chiquiro had been well sent off by the new governor, and that nothing less than shipwreck was possible, since he had not appeared in so long a time.

He gave Daifu what he had brought, which pleased the latter greatly.