Countersigned by Eraso, and signed by Luis Quixada, Doctor Vazquez,
Licentiate Don Gomez Çapata, Doctor Luis de Molina, Doctor Aguilera,
and Doctor Francisco de Villafañe.
TO THE SAID LEGAZPI [GRANTING HIM] THE TITLE OF ADELANTADO OF THE
LADRONES ISLANDS
Don Phelipe, etc. Inasmuch as we have granted license and authority to
you, Miguel Lopez de Legazpi, our governor of the islands of the West,
so that you may explore and colonize the said islands of the West for
us and in our name, and at your own expense; and because of the
expenses which you have incurred in it, and those which you shall incur
in the exploration and colonization of the said islands of the
Ladrones; and because we have you and your said services in mind
constantly, and in order that you and your descendants may be more
honored: therefore having reflected upon the matter in our royal
person, I have considered it fitting to bestow upon you the title of
adelantado of the said Ladrones Islands for yourself and for your heirs
and successors forever. Therefore it is our intention and will by this
present that you be now and henceforth forever, our adelantado of the
said Ladrones Islands, as well as of the villages that you shall
colonize therein; and after you, your heirs and successors, and he who
shall inherit your house. As such our adelantado, you may
exercise—and you shall exercise—the said office in all cases and
matters annexed to and concerning it, in the same manner in which they
are enjoyed by our adelantados of our kingdoms of Castilla and of the
said Indias. In regard to the enjoyment and exercise of the said office
and in the payment of the fees pertaining to it, you shall observe and
your heirs shall be obliged to observe the laws and ordinances of these
our kingdoms imposed in regard to it. All the honors, favors, and
rewards, licenses, liberties, exemptions, preëminences, prerogatives,
immunities, and everything else—and each one of them singly—which
because of being our adelantado, you ought to have and enjoy, and which
ought to be kept for you, shall be kept for you. You shall have and
receive the fees, salaries, and other matters belonging and pertaining
to the said office of adelantado. We do, by this our letter, order
councils, justices, regidors, knights, squires, officials, and good men
of all the cities, towns, and hamlets of the said islands of the
Ladrones to hold, receive, and consider you and your heirs as our
adelantado and to extend to you and to them the said office and all
causes and things annexed to and concerning it. They shall keep for you
and cause to be kept for you, all the honors, favors, rewards,
licenses, liberties, preëminences, prerogatives, immunities, and all
the other things—and each one of them singly—that you ought to have
and enjoy by reason of the said office, and which must be kept for you.
They shall pay, and cause to be paid, to you, all the fees and salaries
owing and belonging to the said office of adelantado up to their
complete value, so that you may suffer no lack in anything, according
to and in the manner in which it has been enjoyed and paid, and as it
must be enjoyed, paid, and kept for the other adelantados who have been
and are in these our kingdoms of Castilla and in the said Indias. They
shall place no obstacle or opposition to you in this matter or in any
part of it, or allow such to be placed. Therefore, we do, by this
present, receive and hold you as received into the said office, and to
its enjoyment and exercise. We grant you authority and license to enjoy
and exercise it; and in case that you are not received in that office
by them or any of them, we order you to give this our letter signed by
our hand and countersigned by our secretary mentioned below. Given in
Madrid, August fourteen, one thousand five hundred and sixty-nine.