Don Juan de Arce

Before me: 

Manuel de Caceres, notary

In the port of Mohala, in the kingdom of Borney, on the twenty-first day of the month of March, one thousand five hundred and seventy-nine, the illustrious Don Juan de Arce summoned to his presence the captain and pilot of a Chinese ship, which was anchored in the said port, each one of them alone; and before me, the said notary, through the Moro Simagat, an interpreter of the Sangley [i.e., Chinese] and Spanish tongues, questioned them on the condition of affairs in the land, and whether the king Soltan Lixar had returned to his former settlement; and in regard to the panguilans Maraxa de Raxa and Salalila, and other matters pertaining to the service of his Majesty.  They answered that they had entered the said port three days ago; that upon this said day the king and his people had received news of the coming of the Spaniards; and that the king of Borney had ordered them to enter the said river with another Chinese vessel there.  But they refused because they did not know what would happen to them.  From that time, when night came they began to annoy them with their small boats and conpites.  They said that the king Soltan Lijar was in Borney, and that the panguilan Salalila had died by some disease.  They had heard, from the fishermen who came to their boat to sell fish, that the king had a fort up the river where he had placed the women and the food-supplies of the city when he heard of our coming.  The said fishermen told them that the king had ordered a quantity of poison to be thrown into the water, in order to kill the people.  They had heard even that the death of the said Salalila happened thus.  They knew naught else, for they were come hither but recently.  This is the truth, and they know naught else.  I, the present notary, attest the same; and the said interpreter Simagat, as well as the said captain, signed it.

Don Juan de Arce

Before me: 

Manuel de Caceres, notary

And after the above events, on the twenty-second day of the month of March, of the said year, in the presence of me, the said notary, and the witnesses who here signed, appeared the said Moros Sipopat and Esin, whom his Grace had sent to the said city of Borney.  They brought a paper written in Bornean, which they said was given them by the king, Soltan Lijar.  They declared that the said king had received the letters addressed to the said panguilans Maraxa de Raxa and Salalila, as the said Salalila was dead, and Maraxa de Raxa had gone to the river of Saragua.  The king said that he wished alliance with the said captain, and therefore sent that written letter, in which he says the same thing.  He wrote it so that the Spaniards might believe it.  Likewise he had sent two caracoas, which came in care of the above-named envoys.  And I, the said notary, and many others saw these boats.  They came flying white flags,