Gaspar de Azevo
In fulfilment of this, I, the said Gaspar de Azevo, notary-in-chief of the government of the Philipinas Page 179Islands, caused to be made and did make, out of the government books which are in my keeping, a copy of the decrees which Pedro de Brito took to the city of Macan, and whose contents are as follows:
[Decrees Taken to Macan]
Gomez Perez Dasmarinas, knight of the order of Sanctiago, member of his Majesty's council, and his governor and captain-general of the Filipinas Islands. At present I am actually practicing and exercising the said office of governor and captain-general, according to the commission of his Majesty, which reads as follows:
Commission of Gomez Perez Dasmarinas as governor; and other decrees which were taken to Macan. Don Felipe, by the grace of God, King of Castilla, Leon, Aragón, the two Sicilies; Jerusalem, Portugal, Navarra, Granada, Toledo, Valencia, Galizia, Mallorcas, Sevilla, Cerdeña, Cordoba, Córcega, Murcia, Jaén, the Algarbes, Algeciras, Gibraltar, the islands of Canarias, the eastern and western Yndias, and the islands and mainland of the Ocean Sea; Archduke of Austria; Duke of Borgoña, Bravante, and Milan; Count of Abspurg, Flandes, Tirol, and Varcelona; Lord of Vizcaya and Molina: Inasmuch as, from the time when the Filipinas Islands were discovered in the great Chinese Archipelago, I have always given much care to the supplying of religious to preach the gospel in those far-away and remote regions, in order that our Christian religion might be spread in those islands which our Lord through His mercy chose to call to a true knowledge of Himself; and in order that a more godly success might be obtained among the natives of the said islands and others Page 180of the same archipelago, and of other neighboring lands and provinces surrounding the regions already discovered and pacified; and in order that, through the mild method of instruction, they might attain the end for which they were created, I have continually supplied Spaniards to settle those islands, so that with their presence and defense, religion might be established and its ministers protected. Moreover, wishing better to regulate affairs and to render them more stable, I gave orders for the establishment of the Audiencia and royal chancilleria in the city of Manila, of the said Filipinas Islands. But now—having heard that the said Audiencia is a heavy burden to a new and thinly-populated land; and that besides, having few matters to settle, it incurs heavy expenses for the maintenance of ministers and officers—I have decided to order the abolishment of the said Audiencia and the resumption of the same form and order of government that existed before the establishment of the Audiencia. Considering how much and how well you, Gomez Perez Dasmarinas, knight of the order of Sanctiago, have served me, and considering the many good qualities united in your person, I hereby elect and appoint you my governor and captain-general of the said Filipinas Islands, hoping that you will continue to serve me on all occasions with the love and faithfulness which my great trust in you imposes upon your person. In such capacity, it is my will that you enjoy and exercise the said offices in the cases and matters connected with and depending upon them, so long as I desire; and in the manner which the persons who have exercised them hitherto have been accustomed, permitted, or obliged to do; and as other persons who have served and are serving Page 181me in similar offices in these islands and provinces of the Yndias do, may, or must do. It is my desire that you administer justice for me, both civil and criminal, in all the cities, towns, and places, settled or to be settled; you shall also confer offices of justice, war, and others which exist in the islands. Through this decree, or a copy of it, signed by a notary, I order that the civic bodies, courts, regidors, knights, esquires, officers, and good men of all cities, towns, and places of the said Filipinas Islands, and the officers of my exchequer, and the captains, inspectors, and other persons residing there, whatever be their station, shall—after you, the said Gomez Perez Dasmarinas, have taken the oath with the solemnity required by the occasion, and according to the custom of the cabildo of the city of Manila, of the Filipinas Islands—receive you and look upon you as my governor and captain-general of the said islands, and freely allow you to enjoy and exercise the said offices, and to carry out and execute my justice in the said islands, whether it be through your agency or through the lieutenants of my governor and captain-general. I think it advisable that the offices of corregidor, alguazil, and others which you assign in the said islands shall be declared vacant and removed whenever you consider that my service and the execution of my justice demand it. You are empowered to substitute others in their places; and to hear, dismiss, and decide all the civil and criminal trials and suits which may arise in the said islands and towns; you and your lieutenants are empowered to deprive the said offices of the fees connected with and pertaining to them, and to make any investigation in former suits, and other matters connected with and pertaining to the said offices Page 182which you and your lieutenants may consider necessary for my service, the execution of my justice, and the settlement and government of the said islands and communities. In order that you may enjoy and exercise the said offices, and carry out and execute my justice as above stated, all men shall submit to you and give and cause to be given to you all the support and aid which you ask and need from them. All shall respect and obey you, and carry out your orders and those of your lieutenants; and they shall in no wise place or allow to be placed any obstacle or opposition before you, since I hereby accept and consider you as accepted in the capacity of the said offices, and in the enjoyment and exercise of them. I give you power and authority to enjoy and exercise them and to carry out and execute my justice as above stated. In case those persons, or any of them, shall not accept you as holding the said offices, I command whomsoever holds the reins of my justice in the said islands, as soon as you, the said Gomez Perez Dasmarinas, ask for them, to give and yield them up to you, and to exercise their offices no longer—under pain of incurring the punishment incurred by those who exercise royal and public offices without any authority; for I hereby suspend and hold them suspended from the said offices. You, your lieutenants, and other magistrates shall enforce, and cause to be enforced, all fines and punishments which you may inflict, which moneys are to be given and delivered to the officials of my exchequer. Whenever you consider it fitting for my service and for the execution of my justice for any of those persons, who are now or may be in future in the said islands, to leave the same and not return thither, but come before me instead, you shall Page 183send them in my name, and cause them to depart in accordance with the ordinance to this effect. You shall state to the persons whom you thus send the reasons for your doing so; but, if it seems best to give the information secretly, you shall give it enclosed and sealed, and then you shall send me a similar explanation by another messenger, in order that I may have knowledge of it. You are warned not to send any one in this way unless urged by serious reasons. Both parties are to do nothing contrary to this, under pain of losing my favor. Given in San Lorenzo, August the ninth, one thousand five hundred and eighty-nine.
I, The King
I, Joan Ybarra, secretary of the king our lord, had it written by his order.
The licentiate
Hernando de Vega de Fonseca
Registered: