n order that, in this manner, they might
enter the country for the purpose of preaching. But all these efforts
were of no avail, until the divine will showed another and better
method, which will be related in the following chapter.

The sea-power of the pirate Limahon from the Kingdom of China, and
his defeat of Vintoquiam, a pirate from the same Kingdom. Chapter II.

The Spaniards were enjoying in peace and quiet their new settlement of
Manila, without apprehension of any accident that might disturb their
peace, and ignorant of any hostile treachery that might harm them; for
the islands were quite pacified, and submissive to the Catholic King
Felipe, our lord, and the trade with the Chinese was continuing. This
last seemed sufficient guarantee to ensure their present quiet; and
likewise, because they knew of the law among these people (as has been
related in the history) that prohibited them from warring with anyone
outside of their own kingdom. [24] They were enjoying this peace when
Limahon, a pirate from the kingdom of China--of pirates there is, as a
rule, no lack along this coast, both because of the dense population of
the kingdom, so that necessarily, vagabonds are by no means uncommon;
and (the principal reason) because of the tyranny exercised by the
rulers toward their subjects--came to these islands with an immense
fleet, as will be related hereafter, with the intention of working them
harm. This pirate was born in the city of Trucheo in the province of
Cuytan, called by the Portuguese Catim. He was the son of parents in
moderate circumstances, who, while he was a child, reared him in the
midst of vice and license. On this account, and by his own nature,
he was quarrelsome and evilly disposed. He would learn no trade,
except to commit robberies along the highway, in which he became so
proficient, that very soon he had a large following--more than two
thousand--of whom he was the acknowledged chief, and came to be feared
throughout the whole province where he committed his depredations.

When the king and his council learned of this, the former ordered
the viceroy of the province where the pirate was, to assemble all the
garrisons of his frontiers, and to try to capture him, and carry or
send him alive to the city of Taybin, or if that were impossible, to
secure his head. The viceroy ordered the necessary forces to assemble
for this pursuit, with all haste. When the pirate Limahon was aware
of this t