The Philippine Islands, 1493-1898 — Volume 22 of 55 / 1625-29 / 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

[1] Evidently referring to the city of Cebu, of which Christoval de Lugo was then alcalde-mayor; this officer conducted an expedition against the Joloans in 1627, in which the Spaniards inflicted heavy losses on these pirates.

[2] Apparently meaning that he came with Governor Fajardo in 1618; for the present narrative must have been written as early as 1624.

[3] That is, “the spirit of the Lord came rushing.”

Documents of 1627

• [Importance of the Philippines]. Martin Castaño; [undated; 1627?].
• [Relation of 1626]. [Unsigned and undated; ca. 1627].
• [Letter to Tavora]. Felipe IV; September 3.
• [Laws regarding the Sangleys]. [From Recopilacion de leyes de las Indias]; 1594–1627.
• [Decrees regarding the religious]. Felipe IV; May–November.
• [Decrees regarding the Chinese]. Felipe IV; September 10 and November 19.
• [Inadvisability of a Spanish post on the island of Formosa]. Juan Cevicos; December 20.

Sources: The first, fifth, and seventh of these documents are obtained from MSS. in the Archivo general de Indias, Sevilla; the second, from the Ventura del Arco MSS. (Ayer library), vol. i, pp. 523–545; the third and sixth, from the Archivo Historico Nacional, Madrid; the fourth, from Recopilación de leyes de las Indias, lib. vi, tit. xviii.

Translations: These are all made by James A. Robertson, except the third, by Arthur B. Myrick.

The Importance of the Philippines