Sargento-mayor Don Philippe de Lezcano I appointed captain of infantry, of the company which is in garrison at the fort of Tanda, in the province of Caraga, and keeper of the fort there, and military commander, as he has the requisite qualifications and ability. He has served your Majesty thirteen years in military service in Flandez, and passed to these islands in the position of sargento-mayor of infantry which came as reinforcements last year, one thousand six hundred and twenty-seven. He is assigned a salary of six hundred pesos per year, which is what the other captains of this camp have, and with this he will serve the two offices. I sent him the commission on the twentieth of July of one thousand six hundred and twenty-eight.
Admiral Don Diego de Axcueta Menchaca, who was appointed admiral of the ships which go to Nueva España this year, I have promoted to the office of commander of them on account of Sargento-mayor Don Gonzalo Rronquillo (who was appointed to this office) remaining in these islands. I have made this appointment because the said Don Diego de Axcueta has the requisite qualifications and ability. He has served your Majesty in military service in these islands for nineteen years past, having been a soldier, alférez, and several times a captain of infantry, and one of the guard of Governor Don Juan de Silva. He was present at the battle with the Dutch enemy under the said governor in the year six hundred and ten, at Playa Honda. He went with the governor to the forts of Therrenate, and was present at the taking of Xilolo and Sabugo. On his return to this city he went to the strait of Sincapura with the said governor, and was afterward in the battle with the Dutch enemy in the year sixteen at the said Plaia Honda where Master-of-camp Don Juan Rronquillo acted as general of the fleet. He afterward became captain of infantry in this camp; and while he held this position I appointed him commander of a ship which went with the fleet in my charge to Hermosa Island. He is the son of Master-of-camp Christoval de Axcueta Menchaca, who died in these islands in the service of your Majesty. He has a decree directing that he be occupied in offices of justice and war, conformably to his rank and ability. He has performed other distinguished services for your Majesty. He has a yearly salary of three thousand Castilian ducados, which is the same as has been enjoyed by the commanders of similar vessels. I sent him the commission on the twenty-fourth of July of one thousand six hundred and twenty-eight.
Captain Don Fernando Galindo I have appointed admiral of the ships which will go this present year to Nueva España, as he has the requisite qualifications and ability, and has served your Majesty in military service for twenty-two years past in the galleys of Ytalia and other parts of Europa, and in these islands. While here he was captain of infantry three times, once in this camp and twice in the garrison of Cagayan. He was alcalde-mayor and military commander in that province, and afterward was made alcalde-mayor and military commander in the province of La Laguna de Vay. He was present when occasion offered for his services, and acquitted himself well with what was entrusted to him, rendering other important services to your Majesty. He has a yearly salary of two thousand Castilian ducados. I sent him the commission on the twenty-eighth of July, one thousand six hundred and twenty-eight.
Concerning the other appointments that may be made, I will send a report during the coming year, in the same manner as your Majesty orders me. May God our Lord protect you many years, with the addition of greater kingdoms and seigniories, according to the needs of Christendom. At the port of Cavite, on the second day of the month of August of the year one thousand six hundred and twenty-eight.
In the ships which have just arrived from Nueva Spaña in these islands there came a royal decree by which your Majesty was pleased to confirm and approve the grant which Governor Don Alonso Faxardo made to these islands, while he was governor, to Don Luis Faxardo, his brother, on the first of April of the former year one thousand six hundred and twenty-one, giving him the encomienda of natives at Bombon and its dependencies, in the province of Balayan, which contains two thousand seven hundred and twenty-five tributarios. For this within four years he was to secure a confirmation from your Majesty, as appeared from the royal decree under date of the tenth of September of one thousand six hundred and twenty-six, countersigned by the secretary Don Fernando Ruiz de Contreras—which decided me not to proceed to the execution of this without first informing your Majesty as to what has passed in this matter, and the state in which affairs are at present. I found, Sire, when I arrived in these islands and undertook the government thereof in the said year of one thousand six hundred and twenty-six, that the said encomienda was vacated, and declared so by Governor Don Fernando de Silva, because the said Don Luis Faxardo had not secured the said confirmation from your Majesty within the designated period. During the vacancy, the proceeds of the products and the profits were placed in the royal treasury. This encomienda had two thousand five hundred and seven tributarios, which, as they appeared to me to be a large number, I divided. I made a grant thereof in the name of your Majesty, according to law, as being vacant, to two persons of considerable rank, ability, merits, and services. One of these is general Don Antonio de Leoz, to whom I gave one thousand six hundred tributarios thereof, as I knew that he had served your Majesty for twenty-four years past, both in the kingdom of Napoles and in these islands—whither he came from that kingdom with Governor Don Juan de Silva, as alférez of the company. Afterward he was made captain, and served in this camp with other offices, being present when occasion arose. He has always acquitted himself well of what was entrusted to him, as will appear by his papers and commission—which I have despatched to him; and which I understand should already be in that court to petition for and secure the confirmation, according to the command. He is married to Doña Juana Gallinato, legitimate daughter and sole heir of Master-of-camp Juan Xuarez Gallinato, who died in these islands in your Majesty’s service, being a person of many services. I charged him with a pension, from the said tributarios, of one hundred and fifty pesos, which he each year gives and pays to Doña Beatriz Cornexo de Tapia—a widow, who had been the wife of Doctor Juan Manuel de La Vega, formerly auditor of the royal Audiencia and of these islands; for she was very poor and was suffering need. In consideration of making this grant Doña Juana Gallinato resigned one thousand two hundred tributarios, which she held as an encomienda for a second life, so that these might be assigned to other persons. The other nine hundred and seven tributarios remaining I assigned to General Don Juan de Arcarasso, likewise a person of great ability and merit, and many services. He has served your Majesty for thirty-four years past in those lands of Europa, in the royal fleet and elsewhere, as well as in these islands—where he came as captain of a company of Spanish infantry, which came with the reënforcements of the year six hundred and fourteen. He has held and served in other charges and honorable offices, being present when occasion arose. Thus far and ever he has acquitted himself very well, as will appear more at length by his paper and the commission which I sent him—which should already be in that court to secure the confirmation of the said encomienda. They are likewise recounted in a clause of a letter which I despatched to your Majesty in the past year of one thousand six hundred and twenty-seven, with the report concerning encomiendas and offices. I made these two grants on the eleventh of December one thousand six hundred and twenty-six, and issued decrees for them, having fulfilled all the requirements which are ordered by the royal decrees. I beseech your Majesty to have examined the matter referred to, and the said encomienda considered vacant and so declared, in conformity to the royal decrees which treat of this matter; and as such to have the appointment given to the said two worthy persons, who are in possession thereof by a just title. Above all, I beseech you to command that it be your pleasure that this be observed and complied with; and in the meantime I shall make no change, because it appears to me that I acted justly, and that it is expedient for the service of your Majesty. Dated ut supra. Sire, the humble vassal of your Majesty.
Don Juan Niño de Tavora
[Endorsed: “Examined; have it joined with the others on this matter.” “In the Council, October 9, 630.”]
[1] A native town in the northern part of Gilolo (or Almahéra) Island; it was captured by Juan de Silva.