The Discovery and Conquest of the Molucco and Philippine Islands

The Discovery and Conquest of the Molucco and Philippine Islands. - Containing their History, Ancient and Modern, Natural and Political: Their Description, Product, Religion, Government, Laws, Languages, Customs, Manners, Habits, Shape, and Inclinations of the Natives. With an Account of many other adjacent Islands, and several remarkable Voyages through the Streights of Magellan, and in other Parts.

Our Author, Bartholomew Leonardo de Argensola, was a Learned Clergyman, and as such employd by the President and Council of the Indies to Write this History. He calls it, The Conquest of the Molucco Islands, without Enlarging any further in his title, tho at the same time his Work contains their first Discovery, their Description, the Manners, Customs, Religion, Habit, and Political and Natural History; with all the Wars, and other Remarkable Accidents in those Parts, since they were first known to Europeans, till their Reduction under the Crown of Spain. In Speaking of them he Occasionally runs out to give the same Account of the Philippine Islands, and of several others in those Eastern Seas. This is frequent in Spanish Books, wherein we generally find much more than the Titles promise, contrary to what is Practisd with us, who strive to fill up a Title Page with abundance of Inviting Heads, the least part whereof is Treated of in the Body of the Work, or at best so Superficially, that scarce any more can be made of them there, than was in the Frontispiece. For the Compiling of this Work the Author, being Employd by the Authority abovementiond, had the Command of all Authentick Manuscript Relations, which were either in the Kings Custody, or in Private Hands; besides the Testimony of such Persons then Living, as had been Eye-Witnesses to any part of what he delivers. His Design was only to Write the Conquest of those Islands, by King Philip the Third of Spain; but considering how few were acquainted with them, and that of Consequence most Readers would be at a loss to know where, or what these Moluccos were, he Judiciously Resolvd to bring down his History from its proper Source. To this End he begins with the Antient, and Fabulous Original of their Kings; then comes to the Discovery of them by Europeans, and proceeds to the Wars between them, and with the Natives, for the Possession of those so much coveted Dominions. His Description of them is very Exact; That of the Cloves, their principal Commodity, no less Curious; and that of the other Product and Animals, Inferior to neither. The Wars carrying him over from one Place to another; he gives a short Account of the Islands Papas, and that of Celebes. The Spaniards, to avoid passing through the Portuguese Sea, attempted to settle Trade at the Moluccos, by the way of the Streights of Magellan, which gives occasion to Argensola to entertain us with a particular Account of the Spanish Fleet sent into the said Streight, under the Admiral Sarmiento, which has been hitherto very Imperfectly Deliverd in English, tho very Remarkable, and full of Surprizing Accidents. In short, not to stretch out this Preface, with the Subject of the Work, we shall find in it a brief Description of the Island Sumatra; of the vast Empire of China; of all the Philippine Islands, and those of Ceylon, Banda, Java, and many others of less Note. Nor does he omit to speak of the Dutch Voyages; and Undertakings of Sir Francis Drake, and other English Adventurers; and Embelishes the whole with such variety of pleasing Incidents, that few Books of Travels afford so much Profitable Entertainment, with such good Authority. ......Buy Now (To Read More)

Product details

Ebook Number: 43451
Author: Leonardo de Argensola, Bartolomé
Release Date: Aug 12, 2013
Format: eBook
Language: English

Contributors

Translator: Stevens, John, -1726