Résumé of contemporaneous documents.—These documents, also synopsized, for the period 1541-48, are obtained from Doc. inéd., as follows: Ultramar, ii, part i, pp. 1-94; Amér. y Oceania, v, pp. 117-209, and xiv, pp. 151-165.
Expedition of Miguel Lopez de Legazpi
Résumé of contemporaneous documents.—These documents, covering the period 1559-69, are also synopsized from Doc. inéd. Ultramar, ii, pp. 94-475, and iii, pp. v-225, 244-370, 427-463.
Warrant for establishment of Augustinian Mission (1564).—The original of this document was found among the archives of the Augustinian convent at Culhuacan, Mexico. The only publication of this Patente of which we are aware is that (in Latin) from which our translation is made, in a work by Elviro J. Perez, O.S.A.,—Catalogo bio-bibliografico de los religiosos agustinos (Manila, 1901), pp. xi-xiv. At present, we are unable to give further information concerning the document.
Possession of Cibabao (Feb. 15, 1565).—The original MS. (from a copy of which our translation is made) is conserved in the Archivo de Indias at Sevilla; pressmark, "Simancas—Filipinas; descubrimientos, descripciones y poblaciones de las Islas Filipinas, años 1537 á 1565; est. 1, caj. 1, leg. 1, 23." It has been published in Doc. ined. Ultramar, i i, pp. 351-355.
Proclamation regarding gold found in burial places (May 16, 1565).—The data for the preceding document apply to this one also—save that to pressmark should be added "ramo 25;" and that the pagination for this one in Doc. ined. is 355-357.
Letter to Felipe II (May 27, 1565).—The original MS. is also in Sevilla; pressmark, "Simancas—Filipinas; descubrimientos, descripciones y gobierno de Filipinas; est. 1, caj. 1, leg. 1, 23." It was published, ut supra, pp. 357-359. There are two copies in the Archivo, one of which is incorrectly endorsed "1569." In such cases it should be remembered that despatches and other official documents were often sent in duplicate—sometimes in triplicate, or even quadruplicate,—and by different vessels, to ensure that at least one copy should reach its destination.
Letters to Felipe II (May 29, June 1, 1565).—The original MSS. (from copies of which our translations are made) are also in the Archivo de Indias; pressmark. "Patronato, Audiencia de Filipinas—Cartas de los gobernadores." More definite designation is not possible, as these MSS. were not in their regular place in the above patronato at the time when our transcripts were made. With the letter of June 1 we present a photographic reproduction of the signatures. Both of these documents were published in Doc. inéd. Amér. y Oceania, xiii, pp. 527-531.
Letter to the Audiencia of Mexico (May 28, 1565).—The original MS. is in the Archivo de Indias; pressmark, "Simancas—Filipinas; descub. descrip. y pob. Filipinas, años 1537 á 1565; est. 1, caj. i, leg. 1, 24, no. 24." This letter was accompanied by a memorandum of supplies needed for the military post established in the Philippines by Legazpi; and with the above-named MS. is a list of this sort—which, however, must have been placed in this legajo by some error, as it mentions some articles that had been sent in the year 1570. But in another patronato—which has the same title as the above, but for the years 1566-68—in "est. 1, caj. 1, leg. 2, 24," is a list of similar character, with the title, Memoria de los rescates y municiones que se pidieron á Nueva España, para enviar al campo de S.M. que reside en el puerto de Cubu. This document is undated; but internal evidence makes it probable that it is the list which was sent with this letter to the Audiencia, with which we have accordingly placed it, transferring the other list to a later date, 1571.
Legazpi's Relation (1565).—The original MS. is in the Museo-Biblioteca de Ultramar, Madrid; pressmark, "170-20-3_a_, caja n_o_. 22." It has not, so far as is known, ever been published. Nothing indicates positively the name of the person to whom it was written; but we may reasonably conjecture, from the style of address, that it was probably sent to the president of the Audiencia of Mexico. As Legazpi's own account of his voyage and achievements, this document possesses special interest and value.