The two Dutch ships which last year were plundering in these islands the ships that came from China, returned to Japon, after having loaded up with many silks which they had seized.  They took with them three Chinese ships with rich cargoes, placing on each one a guard of Hollanders.  But in a storm the Chinese fled with their ships, carrying with them the Hollanders that were on board, on whom they retaliated by drowning them in the sea.  Thus the spoil [of the Dutch] was not so rich as was expected.

This year there went to Japon a patache which the Hollanders had captured in Maluco from the English, and on which there remained some English, badly wounded.  They reported that the Hollanders had taken two ships from the English, and had cut off the noses and ears of all whom they had found alive.  Upon hearing this, the English who were in Japon were exceedingly angry; and, as they were in good standing at the court, they went to complain to the emperor.  The Japanese merchants also complained that because of the robberies which the Hollanders had committed during the last two years on the coast of Manila, they had lost the profit which they had usually drawn from the trade with Philipinas.  They said that not only were the Hollanders of no advantage to Japon, but that rather they were very injurious, since they took from the kingdom large quantities of munitions and provisions for their fleets, and thus made everything dearer.  It may be hoped that from these complaints will result the expulsion of the Hollanders from Japon, which will be very injurious to them, but very good for us.

The Hollanders felt keenly the loss of one of their large pataches which was coming from Olanda to Japon with thirty men, good artillery, more than fifty thousand pesos in money, and very rich jewels intended as presents to bribe the magnates of Japon.  On the way, the patache encountered four Portuguese galliots which were coming from Macan loaded with goods.  The Hollanders attacked the Portuguese, intending to seize a galliot; but fortune changed, and in the fight their ship was run down by one of the Portuguese vessels.  When the Hollanders saw that they were lost, they themselves set fire to the powder; and those on board were hurled into the water, where they were despatched with pikes.  The Portuguese rescued only a Japanese who had been to Olanda, and was on the ship coming back with the Hollanders. [73]

Of Mindanao

The island of Mindanao is one of these Philipinas; it is inhabited by Mahometan and heathen people, who make fierce war upon us.  They sally out with their little fleets, repeatedly plunder the towns, desolate the fields, capture many Indians, and even Spaniards, and kill a great number of people.  This year the Lord has been pleased that they should not be able to sally forth as usual, as they have been very much occupied in civil wars.  And if the Hollanders were not so constantly engaging our attention, and we were to go there, they might be destroyed—­as is asserted by a Franciscan friar who has been a captive among them for a long time, and has recently come from there. [74] But we leave it to God; for He, with His most lofty providence, knows how to govern in His own way.