factory, because the vendavals, which were contrary,
had now arisen. Therefore, they were forced to
put into Japon at the port of Nangasaqui, where they
entered with two other ships of theirs. One of
these, the “Leon Negro” ["Black Lion"],
carried one hundred and fifty-five men, and twenty-eight
pieces of artillery, all of cast iron; the other,
the “Galeaca,” carried ninety-five men
and twenty-four pieces of artillery. The Dutch
general had met these two ships on their way from
Bantan, where the Hollanders had another factory.
The “Leon Negro” and the “Galeaca”
had captured three Chinese vessels that were going
to Bantan to trade with the Hollanders. To save
the Chinese the trouble, the Hollanders had loaded
all the goods of the Chinese upon their own ships,
thus taking from them the great wealth of silk they
were carrying, and leaving them only the hulks of the
ships. [In the margin: “Not the
least compensation was made for such great injustice
and injury.”] Sailing, then, by way of Hermosa
Island, these two ships had sighted the “Sol
Viejo;” and, thinking that it was the ship of
Macan, they were much rejoiced, and prepared to seize
it. When they came a little nearer, however,
they discovered that it was the “Sol Viejo,”
in which was their own general, who had fled routed
from the naval battle that took place in these islands.
Distressed at the bad news [of their defeat in this
battle], they together [with the “Sol Viejo”]
directed their course to Nangasaqui, where they made
port the first of July, 617. While these three
ships were anchored within the bar of this port, news
arrived that the ship of Macan was eight or ten leguas
at sea. The governor of Nangasaqui prepared and
sent a message to the Portuguese to the effect that
they could enter the port without any fear whatever
of the Hollanders. But, not considering this
safe, they withdrew to another port near by, where
they felt more secure. When the governor saw that,
on account of the Hollanders, the ship did not enter
his port, he commanded that notice be given to the
Hollanders, in the name of the emperor, that they
should go at once to their port of Firando, which had
been assigned to them for trade with Japon. They
disregarded this command and replied that they had
come to Japon with no other purpose than to look for
that ship, which they must take without fail.
The governor responded with a second notification,
and so they thought it best to leave unobstructed
the entrance to Nangasaqui, and to go to Firando,
where they joined five Dutch vessels—including
the “Leon Rojo,” which had been abandoned.
As has been ascertained, these heretics plundered on the coast of Manila eighteen Chinese ships, besides the two which on their return to Japon they [the “Leon Rojo” and the “Fregelingas”] had carried with them as they were, loaded, and the three which the ships coming from Bantan [the “Leon Negro” and the “Galeaca”] had despoiled. This robbery caused much commotion in Japon.