The Philippine Islands, 1493-1898 — Volume 10 of 55 / 1597-1599 / Explorations by Early Navigators, Descriptions of the Islands and Their Peoples, Their History and Records of the Catholic Missions, as Related in Contemporaneous Books and Manuscripts, Showing the Political, Economic, Commercial and Religious Conditions of Those Islands from Their Earliest Relations with European Nations to the Close of the Nineteenth Century

by Unknown

[On the back is written: “I entreat your Majesty, for the service of our Lord, and your own, to be pleased to read this paper and letter throughout; for it is important for the reasons I have adduced, and for many others. Will your Majesty pardon my boldness and prolixity, which are entirely born of an earnest desire, and of the necessity of bringing forward some considerations and arguments which bear upon these matters. Hence I was unable to shorten it, as I wished and ought to have done.”] Page 123

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[1] Blanca: half a maravedi, equivalent to nearly one mill in U.S. money.

[2] A law dated 1556 provides that jettisons are to be reckoned as risks in common, and to be distributed among ship, freight-money, and cargo. See Recop. leyes Indias (ed. 1841), lib. ix, tit. xxxix, ley x.

Reception of the Royal Seal at Manila

This is a good and faithful copy of several instruments drawn in regard to the reception of the royal seal of the royal Audiencia and chancillería, which the king our lord has lately commanded to be reëstablished in the city of Manila of the Philipinas Islands; they are set down in the book wherein is recorded the establishment of the said royal Audiencia, and their tenor is as follows:

In the city of Manila of the Philipinas Islands, on the eighth day of the month of June of the year one thousand five hundred and ninety-eight, Don Francisco Tello, knight of the Order of Santiago, governor and captain-general of these islands for the king our lord, and president of the Audiencia and chancillería which was ordered to be established there, said that immediately upon the arrival of the last ships from Nueva España in this present year, on which came the honorable auditors whom his Majesty was sending for the said royal Audiencia, the licentiate Christoval Telles de Almazan, one of the said honorable auditors, informed him that he had brought and held in his possession the royal seal of the king our lord, which was given to him by the viceroy of Nueva España for this royal Audiencia; Page 124and the said auditor directed that an order should be given for the formal reception of it, with the authority and reverence which his Majesty directs and commands by his royal instruction and decrees. Accordingly his Lordship immediately gave notice thereof to the cabildo and regimiento of this city, and the other ministers of justice here, that they might provide and make ready all matters necessary for it. This day was appointed for the said reception, and, as the governor has been advised on behalf of the city that all matters are arranged and ready for the said reception to be immediately made, he commanded and commands that it be put immediately in execution, and that the royal seal of his Majesty be placed in the church of San Augustin of this city, within a coffer covered with velvet and gold, with the ceremony which is fitting, so that thereafter it may be taken thence to the royal buildings, to whatever place may be appointed and made ready for the said purpose. And for this end shall be called and summoned to the city all the companies of infantry, both paid troops and citizens.

Accordingly he has declared and ordered it, and signed it with his name.

Don Francisco Tello