When you reach the island of Borney in the district of [illegible words in MS.]—the place to which Captain Esteban Rodriguez went for contrayerva, [28] and the people engaged in trade and gave information as to the condition of Borney—where, they tell me, is the panguilan [29] Maraxa de Raxa, you shall halt at that coast to see if he is there, which you will ascertain from such Moro vessels as you will meet before reaching that place. And finding him there, you will give him my letter. You will ascertain from him the condition of affairs in Borney; the whereabouts of Soltan Lijar, and what he intends to do; whether Portuguese have gone thither, and if they are still there; and other things which may seem proper to you.
You are already aware that I left as commander in Borney the panguilan Maraxa de Raxa, and that I gave him a letter of assurance and friendship, and another to the panguilan Salalila; you must observe all friendship toward them.
As soon as you have arrived, you must confer with the panguinals [sc. panguilans]; you shall ascertain from some Indians whether the king of Borney has returned, and his condition, and that of the settlement. If these panguilans tell your Grace that you should not go to [the port of] Borney, but should remain where you are, and that they are going to talk to the king—or whatever other reasons they may adduce, your Grace will tell them that you are ordered to anchor at the island of Mohala, where the battle occurred, and that your Grace will await them there for conference; and your Grace will tell them that they should read my letters to the king. And, if it seems advisable to your Grace, you shall write to the king, briefly, telling him of the firm friendship that he will receive from me, and the great advantage that will undoubtedly accrue to him in becoming a vassal of his Majesty, the king, our sovereign.
If the said panguilans do not appear, then your Grace will continue your voyage and anchor at the above-named place. You shall send my letters to Borney, with the following order. If either one of the panguilans is dead or absent, the letters shall be given to the other. If neither is found there, the letters shall be given to the king; if he is not there, then to the most influential man; and your Grace shall write him that he advise you speedily, and assign him a certain limit of time for the answer. Should you be informed that Raxayro, king of Xolo, is there, you shall write him also, observing the same order as the above.
You shall request from the king of Borney that he render obedience to his Majesty, King Don Ffelipe, our sovereign, king of Castilla and Leon; that he promise to observe it faithfully, as his vassal, and that he serve him in peace and in war in this land wherever his Majesty commands. If he does this, then I shall pardon him for his want of respect and his crime of last year, when he killed my ambassador, and commenced to wage war upon us, although we offered him good terms of peace.
Item: In acknowledgment of this subjection, he shall pay tribute to his Majesty, to consist of camphor, galleys, or other products of that land, and in the quantity not agreed upon with him, but to his pleasure—until his Majesty and I, in his royal name, order the contrary.
He shall promise not to receive pirates in that land, and that he will not despatch plundering expeditions anywhere, nor permit any slaves to be taken from among the natives to China, or to the Portuguese, or to any other place, telling him that that island is depopulated thereby.
Item: That each year the king of Borney and his successors send one or two vessels to this city to bring the tribute and to trade.
Item: That when I agree to settle in that island, he shall go to the place selected, with his people, or send there, and build houses and whatever else is necessary for the settlement, those who work at this to receive pay. In exchange for this, you will tell him the great advantages that will accrue to him from our alliance: that his Majesty will show him favor; and that, if he has any enemy who undertakes to war upon him, I shall defend him, and shall send thither the fleet of his Majesty, if he advise me of such need.
Item. If the said king declares that he will flee to the mountains, and refuses to come to confer with you, and shall not render obedience, then you shall try to remove his fear. If he shall persist in this, then you shall leave him without doing him any harm, telling him to send to me here, with letters, a Moro chief for conference with me.