But the enemy of the human race, who recognized his loss, and that the progress of the diabolical worship of Mahomet, by which he wished to gain these islands, was shortened by our coming, tried to concoct a scheme to drive the Spaniards from the islands, since there were no longer any forces sufficient to drive them out.  For although the islanders were many in number, so great was their horror of the arquebuses and other firearms, that the very report of these made them tremble.  They did not consider themselves safe from their balls and fire, even in the deepest woods.  Hence what we now hold was subdued in a short time, of which a thousand years ago not one palmo would have been gained, but rather lost.  Hence in order to succeed in his designs against us, the devil made use of another nation, as Spanish as the Castilians, and of equal arms and courage.  He contrived that they should come from Maluco, where they had been for some days, and with equal forces descend upon the Castilians in Sugbu to drive them out.  They claimed that they found the latter on territory that was theirs, and belonged to the kingdom of Portugal.  Over this matter there were not a few contests and glorious triumphs, which must be passed by, for it will be the Lord’s will to have them published some day by him who may write the general history of these islands, so that so heroic exploits may not remain buried in the abyss of oblivion.

Because of this, our Spaniards found themselves in dire need of all things.  They had few men, and little ammunition, and the land where the war was carried on was not so well-affected as they wished; for the temperament of the natives made them incline toward the victor, and persecute the conquered.  But, notwithstanding this, the Spaniards were so courageous in defending what they already possessed that they were prepared to give up their lives rather than one palmo of land.  However, the governor, as a good Christian, had the religious summoned, and requested them to consider the matter, so that when the truth was known fully, and what justice they had on their side, they might, with greater courage, defend their cloak from him who was trying to take it away by violence....

[The fathers deliberated, and Father Rada, who “was not only a very great theologian, but was the wisest man in the world in mathematics, geography, astronomy, astrology, and the foretelling of events,” made a chart on which he showed Alexander VI’s line.  By this he proved the islands well within Spain’s demarcation.  They had also been taken possession of for Spain by Magallanes.  These proofs did not satisfy the Portuguese, however, and they continued their attempts.]

Chapter XIII

Of what the religious did in the islands, and how they baptized Tupas