The Philippine Islands, 1493-1898—Volume 34 of 55, 1519-1522; 1280-1605 / Explorations by early navigators, descriptions of the islands and their peoples, their history and records of the Catholic missions, as related in contemporaneous books and manuscripts, showing the political, economic, commercial and religious conditions of those islands from their earliest relations with European nations to the close of the nineteenth century

by Antonio Pigafetta

REPLY TO MIGUEL LOPEZ DE LEGAZPI

The King. Miguel Lopez de Legazpi, my governor and captain-general of the islands of the West: I have received your two letters dated June fifteen and twenty-three of the past year one thousand five hundred and sixty-seven,[1] and I have taken note of the detailed account which you gave of the events of your expedition, and of what you have done in it; and it is what has been expected from your loyalty and goodness. In regard to what you say of the islands that have been discovered, and which are being discovered daily, and your sensible policy in not waging war, you have done very well, and we charge and order you to continue the same, striving by all good means to attract the natives to the service of God our Lord and mine, and to the love and friendship which they ought to have with you and with the Spaniards who reside with you. You shall so carry yourself that you may not come to blows with them nor with any other persons unless you should be provoked, and in your own defense.

In regard to your statement that some galleys are needed for the trade and commerce of those islands, we have ordered the matter to be discussed, but as yet no resolution has been taken by which we can advise you concerning our will.

Your son, Melchor de Legazpi, and Juan de la Ysla have asked for certain things necessary for the solid colonization of that land and for your defense and safety.[2] You will see what we have supplied by the memorial taken by Juan de la Ysla, and by what our officials in Nueva España will send you. The balance of what is yet to be furnished will be sent in the first fleet that leaves for Nueva España. You will watch over everything in your charge as we expect from your person; and you shall have especial care in furthering the conversion of the Indian natives of that country to our holy Catholic faith, and their good treatment; for that is most important to the service of God our Lord and mine. Since it is so important you shall obtain it by all possible good means.

You shall assign and allot the villages of those islands which may be reduced to our service as you think best, according to the law of the succession of the Indians; provided that you do not assign or allot the capitals, seaports, or places settled by Spaniards, for these must be left for our royal crown, and we order that they be so left.[3]

We have also been petitioned in your name that, in consideration of the fact that there are islands inhabited by Moros in that land, and that they come to trade and traffic, thus hindering the preaching of the holy gospel, and disturbing you, we grant you permission to enslave such Moros, and to seize their possessions. You must take note that if such Moros are Moros by birth and nation and come for the purpose of spreading their cursed Mahometan worship, or to make war on you or on the Indians subject to us and to our royal service, then you can enslave them. But you shall under no consideration whatever enslave those who were Indians who may have adopted the worship of Mahomet; but you shall endeavor to convert them and to persuade them to accept our holy Catholic faith by good and legitimate means.

Report has been made me on behalf of the conquistadors of that country that many slaves have been made there by the natives of those islands. I have been entreated to grant permission to those conquistadors to purchase them and hold them as slaves in the same manner as the said natives hold them. Inasmuch as I desire to be informed of the custom in this matter and of what it is advisable to do, I order you to submit a report of the causes why slaves are made in that country—whether slaves are made mutually among the natives themselves; whether the Moros who wage war upon the said natives are made slaves; or whether there are various sects among them, so that they wage and maintain mutual warfare among themselves and make slaves mutually of one another. You shall report on the other characteristics of that race in so far as they touch this matter; and when the said report is ready you shall send it to our Council of the Indias, so that, after they have examined it, the most advisable measures may be taken in accordance with justice.[4]

If there are any Portuguese or foreigners of these kingdoms who have gone with you or who shall have gone afterward, or who should be in the ships sailing from Nueva España to those islands, you shall order them to return to these kingdoms, even if such Portuguese or foreigners be those who are allowed to be in those districts in accordance with my laws, ordinances, and decrees. You must attend to this matter with the greatest possible haste, for you know how dangerous it will be to the welfare, peace, and quiet of the land and to the service of our Lord and mine. The Escorial, November sixteen, one thousand five hundred and sixty-eight.

I the King

Countersigned by Eraso, and signed by Luis Quixada, Vazquez, Don Gomez Çapata, Muñoz, Molina, Salas, Aguilera, Villafañe, and Votello.

[The above document is followed by one entitled, “Title of governor and captain-general of the island of Cubu to Miguel Lopez de Legazpi.” It is almost word for word the same as the document presented in our VOL. III, pp. 62–66 (the few verbal differences not at all changing the sense in any way), but it bears a date eight days prior to that of the above-mentioned document. The ending of this document is as follows: “Neither you nor they shall act contrary to this under any consideration, under penalty of loss of our favor and of a fine of one thousand gold castellanos to be paid to our exchequer and treasury. Given at Madrid, August six, one thousand five hundred and sixty-nine.

I the King

Countersigned by Eraso, and signed by Luis Quixada, Vazquez, Molina, Salas, Aguilera, Votello, and Maldonado.”]

[This document is followed by another one entitled “The said [Miguel Lopez de Legazpi is granted] the lieutenancy of a fortress in Cubu.” It reads practically the same as the above-mentioned document of VOL. III, to the beginning of the last clause on page 62. We translate from that point:]

And inasmuch as we believe that it is thus advisable for our service, and the welfare and preservation of the same island and of the other islands in its vicinity, we consider it fitting and it is our intention and will that now and henceforth you be for all the rest of your life our warden and keeper of the said fortress. You shall perform the service, homage, and act of fidelity which are required in such cases and which you must make. After that has been done, we order any person or persons who may have or shall have charge of the said fortress, that they shall, as soon as they shall be summoned by this our decree, deliver and surrender it to you or to whomever is empowered by you without consulting us further or awaiting any other decree or order from us, or our second or third injunction. They shall give you full and free possession of it in its entire height and depth and strength, together with the arms, equipment, food, and other things that it might contain, in inventory and before a notary. After they shall have done this we do by the present or by a copy thereof, signed by a notary-public, relieve and discharge them of any covenant, homage, act of fidelity, or pledge that shall have been made by the said fortress, and we declare them free and quit of it, both they and their goods, and their heirs and successors forever. They shall do and perform this notwithstanding that no known porter of our exchequer intervenes in the surrender of it, or the other ceremonies that are usual in such cases, under penalty of being condemned and of incurring the other penalties which those who keep fortresses and do not deliver them at the command of my natural kings and seigniors, are exposed to and incur. Further we order the Council, justices, regidors, knights, squires, officials, and good men of the said island of Cubu and of the other islands in its vicinity, to consider and hold you as our warden and keeper of the said fortress for the rest of your life as is said above; and they shall pay and cause to be paid to you the fees annexed and pertaining to it for its lieutenancy. They shall cause to be observed toward you the honors, grace, rewards, exemptions, licenses, preeminences, prerogatives, and immunities, and all other things which you ought to possess and enjoy as our warden and keeper of the said fortress; and which must be kept for you in the same way as they are possessed and held by the wardens and keepers of the fortresses of these our kingdoms entirely and completely, so that no omission shall be made to you. They shall not place or allow to be placed any hindrance or opposition to this or any part of it. Given in Madrid, August six, one thousand five hundred and sixty-nine.

I the King

Countersigned by Eraso and signed by the above.