A previously quoted statement made by a famous British historian in his description of the relative powers of the viceroys of New Spain, and Perú, and their respective audiencias, may be used here, with equal effect, to characterize the situation in the Philippines, and to summarize this part of our discussion: “They (the magistrates of the audiencia) may advise, they may remonstrate; but in the event of a direct collision between their opinion and the will of the viceroy (governor), what he determines must be brought into execution, and nothing remains for them but to lay the matter before the king and the Council of the Indies.”[60]
[1] See Chapter II, notes 61 and 64 of this book. The study which Dr. David P. Barrows has recently made of the office of governor and captain-general is of value in showing the continuity, and at the same time the evolution of the office from Spanish times to the present. Dr. Barrows states that Miguel López de Legaspi became governor and captain-general of the Philippines when the office was created in 1567. The original cédula of establishment and appointment is in Blair and Robertson, III, 62–66, and bears the date of August 14, 1569. See Barrows, “The governor-general of the Philippines under Spain and the United States,” in The Pacific Ocean in history. p. 239.
[2] Fiscal to the King, July 21, 1599, Blair and Robertson, XI, 114, 115; Maldonado to the King, June 28, 1605, ibid., XIII, 307–315.
[3] Audiencia to Felipe III, August 8, 1620, ibid., XIX, 87–89; see also Messa y Lugo to King, July 30, 1622, ibid., XX, 161–163.
[4] Messa y Lugo to the King, July 30, 1622, ibid., XX, 162–163; see Recopilación, 9–45–3.
[5] Recopilación, 8–20–1.
[6] Recopilación, 2–16–43 and 44.
[7] Messa y Lugo to the King, op. cit., 186.
[8] Blair and Robertson, XXXIX, 177.