The End of the Chinese Revolt

Next day, October 5, Sunday, the Sangleys sent to the parián the heads of:

• Don Luys
• Don Tomas
• Joan de Alcega
• other captains

They told the Sangleys there that, since the flower of Manila had been killed, they should revolt and join them, or they would immediately come to kill them.

But the sight of their necessity, and the spirit of their governor and officials made them all remain at their posts on the walls, arms in hand.

They fortified as strongly as possible the gates of the parián and of Dilao, and all that part of the wall where the enemy might make an assault.

They mounted a piece of artillery above each gate, and stationed there the best men, among whom were religious of all the orders.

The enemy, flushed with the previous victory, their army swelled and then attacked the city.

Burning and destroying everything in their path, they went to the river, for there was no vessel with which to resist them, as all those of the fleet were in the provinces of the Pintados.

They entered the parián, [184] and furiously assaulted the city gate, but were driven back by the arquebuses and muskets, with the loss of many Sangleys.

They went to the church of Dilao, and there assaulted the gate and walls (which were there lower), through scaling-ladders, with the same determination.

But they experienced the same resistance and loss, which compelled them, on the approach of night, to retire with great loss to the parián and to Dilao.

The enemy passed the night in the parián and at Dilao. They making carts, mantelets, scaling-ladders, artificial fire, and other contrivances for:

• assaulting the wall
• burning the gates
• setting fire to everything.

At dawn of the next day, Monday, the Sangleys came together with these arms and tools.

They reached the wall with their bravest and best-armed men, attacked it with great fury.

The artillery destroyed their machines, and caused them so great injury and resistance with it and the arquebuses, that the Sangleys were forced to retire again to the parián and to Dilao, with heavy loss.

Joan Xuarez Gallinato, accompanied by some soldiers and a Japanese troop, made a sally from the Dilao gate on the Sangleys.

• When they reached the church, the Sangleys turned on them and threw the Japanese into disorder.
• The Japanese retreated to seek the protection of the walls
• The Sangleys pursued them.

Then Captain Don Luys de Velasco entered Manila.

He came from the Pintados in a stout caracoa, manned by some good arquebusiers.

• Others manned some bancas that sailed in the shelter of the caracoa.

They approached the parián and Dilao by the river, and harassed the enemy quartered there for 3 days.

• The enemy was compelled to abandon those positions.

These vessels set fire to the parián, and burned everything, and pursued the enemy wherever they could penetrate.

The Sangleys saw:

• their cause waning
• their inability to attain the end desired

They resolved to:

• leave the city, after losing more than 4,000 men
• advise China to reënforce them.

For their support to divide their men into 3 divisions in different districts:

1. The Tingues of Pasig
2. Those of Ayonbon
3. La Laguna de Bay, San Pablo, and Batangas

On Wednesday, they abandoned the city completely and marched inland.

Don Luys de Velasco, with some soldiers and armed natives who came from all sides to relieve Manila, accompanied by some Spaniards who guided them, and the religious from their missions.

They went by the river in pursuit and were able to kill and annihilate the bands bound for the Tingues of Pasig and for Ayombon.

The majority and main body of the Sangleys went to:

• La Laguna de Bay
• the mountains of San Pablo
• Batangas

Burning towns and churches, and everything in their path, they fortified themselves in the above-mentioned sites.

Don Luys de Velasco, with 70 soldiers, continued to pursue them, killing each day many.

On one occasion Don Luys was so closely engaged with the enemy, that the Sangleys killed him and 10 soldiers of his company, and fortified themselves again in San Pablo and Batangas, where they waited for reinforcements from China. [185]

To finish the enemy, the governor sent Captain and Sargento-mayor Cristoval de Axqueta Menchaca on October 12 with:

• 200 Spanish soldiers and volunteers
• 300 Japanese
• 1,500 Pampanga and Tagál natives [186]

With little or no loss of men, he killed and destroyed all Sangleys fortified in San Pablo and Batangas except for 200 who were taken alive to Manila for the galleys.

The captain was occupied in this for 20 days, and with it the war was ended.

Very few merchants were left in Manila, and they had taken the good counsel to betake themselves, with their possessions, among the Spaniards in the city.

At the start of the war, less than 700 Spaniards in the city had arms. [187]

After the end of the war, shortages in the city began.

The Sangleys:

• worked at the trades
• brought in all the provisions,

Their loss meant that there was no food, nor any shoes to wear, not even at excessive prices.

The native Indians:

• are very far from exercising those trades.
• have forgotten much of:
  • farming
  • the raising of fowls, cattle, and cotton
  • the weaving of cloth

These they used to do in their pagan days and for a long time after the conquest of the country. [188]

The people thought that Chinese vessels would not come to the islands with food and merchandise because of the recent revolution.

They feared that an armed fleet would attack Manila to avenge the death of their Sangleys.