[13] Bancroft, History of Mexico, II, 586.
[14] Ibid., II, 602–7.
[15] It is interesting to note that in 1564, while the Audiencia of Mexico was governing ad interim, the voyage of Legaspi and Urdaneta was undertaken, and the first permanent settlement was made in the Philippines by authorization of that tribunal. Bancroft (History of Mexico, II, 599–600) is both indefinite and inaccurate in his account of the expedition of Legaspi and Urdaneta to the Philippines. He says: “Finally on the 21st of November, 1564, the squadron sailed, and after a prosperous voyage, reached Luzón, where Legaspi founded the city of Manila.” It is well known that Legaspi did not sail directly to Luzón, as Bancroft implies, but he visited a number of islands in the Archipelago before he settled at Cebú on April 27, 1565. Manila was not formally claimed until May 19, 1571 (Montero y Vidal, Historia general, I, 39; Martínez de Zúñiga, An historical view, 113–119). Bancroft (op. cit., II, 743) states that Manila was founded in 1564 by Miguel de Legaspi. Manila was a prosperous commercial center before the Spaniards came to the Islands. Dr. James A. Robertson in his article entitled “Legaspi and Philippine colonization” (see American Historical Association, Annual report, 1907, I, 154), states on the basis of original documents that “this well-situated and busy trade center was erected into a Spanish city on June 3, 1571, and on the 24th the necessary officials were appointed.” Dr. Robertson states in a note (p. 154) that “possession was taken of Luzon, June 6, 1570.”
[16] Recopilación, 8–4–24.
[17] Ibid., 3–2–47.
[18] Ibid., 2–15–47 and 48.
[19] King to the Audiencia, November 23, 1774, quotes the cédula of September 13, 1608, as testimonio; A. I., 105–2–9. A copy of this cédula also exists in A. I., 67–6–3.
[20] Testimonio al acuerdo de 19 de Julio de 1654, Audiencia de Manila, A. I., 67–6–3. See Recopilación, 2–15–58.
[21] Copies of the cédula of January 30, 1635, and of April 2, 1664, and of the consulta of September 9, 1669, exist in A. I., 67–6–3.
[22] Recopilación, 2–15–45. It will be seen that this law was slightly modified by laws promulgated in the eighteenth century.