Sire:
On the tenth of this month of July [_sic_], I arrived at port in
these Philipinas Islands with the fleet of your Majesty, and the
reënforcements that were sent to this place by the viceroy Don Luis
de Velasco, under my command. I found the land at peace, and more
free from suspicions of enemies than it has been hitherto. There
is great hope that if moderate diligence be shown, our Lord may be
pleased to open the door to the preaching of the gospel among the
heathen. This is proved by the harvest gathered by the four descalced
friars of the order of St. Francis, who went hence to Xapon last
year. I found Don Luis Dasmariñas governing this land, on account
of the death of his father, as your Majesty will have been fully
informed ere this. I will serve according to your Majesty's orders
in the office of lieutenant-general of these islands with as much
care as my strength will permit, until your Majesty may be pleased
to order otherwise. I humbly beseech your Majesty that the method of
procedure that is to be followed here be sent to this kingdom with
the utmost despatch. May those who live here be granted reward, for
they have served your Majesty with much care and fidelity; and if the
land is not burdened with taxes, the maintenance and advancement of it
are likely to bring about great improvements even in the neighboring
kingdoms, to the service of God and of your Majesty.
I shall commence the residencia which your Majesty orders me to take
in the case of Licentiate Pedro de Rojas, my predecessor, and of other
ministers, as soon as these ships for Nueva España have sailed. In
order not to hinder their despatch, it has seemed best to postpone
this work; but by the first ships I shall do as your Majesty bids me
in this matter.
I was inaugurated into my office as soon as I arrived at this city,
and concerning the inauguration I send the accompanying report to
your Majesty. As I have come so recently I give no report in detail
as to what should be done in this region. From what I have seen,
however, it seems to me that I ought to remind your Majesty of
what I wrote from Mexico. Your Majesty's treasury in these islands
has been administered at a great loss to your Majesty's exchequer,
and it is very necessary for your Majesty to send someone to make
investigations and set things in order for the future. In that way
your Majesty will be enabled to meet the expenses incurred, without
providing therefor from Nueva España, as is done now. Everything is
greatly in arrears. May our Lord preserve the royal person of your
Majesty for many long years, as is needed by universal Christendom,
and as we your Majesty's servants desire. Manila, June 25, 1595.
_Dr. Antonio Morga_
[_Order by the council_: "Let a decree be issued for the governor of
the Philipinas to have these accounts taken. They shall be taken by
Doctor Antonio de Morga. The results shall be sent to this council,
with an account of everything that is done, and his opinion of what
is meet to be done. A complete report shall be made of the royal
property in that treasury."]
[_Endorsed:_ "Considered May 27, 1596. Decree enclosed."]
This is a true and faithful copy taken from a royal decree and issued
by the royal Council of the Indias, which Doctor Antonio de Morga,
assessor and lieutenant to the governor in the judicial cases in
these Ffilipinas Islands, presented before Don Luis Perez Dasmariñas,
governor and captain-general thereof. Its contents are as follows:
Don Felipe, by the grace of God king of Castilla, [here follows the
usual list of his dignities and titles]:
Appreciating what you, Doctor Antonio de Morga, have done in my
service, and your good qualities, learning, and efficiency, it is
my will to choose and appoint you as I hereby do, my assessor and
lieutenant to my governor and captain-general of the Filipinas,
in place of Licentiate Pedro de Rojas, who at present serves in
said office, and whom I have promoted as criminal alcalde of my
royal Audiencia of the City of Mexico. It is my will that you
be lieutenant-general of said governor and captain-general, with
jurisdiction in affairs of government and war, to act as such; and,
for the time that I may so desire, you shall exercise said offices in
the affairs and cases which may arise in said islands, and relating
to and bearing on them, in the fulness and manner exercised by former
lieutenant-generals, and by him who at present fills that office in the
provinces of Chile, in the affairs of government and war. The governor
shall not appoint or have any other lieutenant; and in prosecuting,
determining, and closing the cases which may occur, take place,
or arise, in said islands, you shall proceed in the form and order
which is contained and declared in the decree signed by my hand on
the seventeenth day of the month of January of the present year,
one thousand five hundred and ninety-three. As concerns the cases
and suits about the Indians which may arise in those islands, you
shall proceed according to the decree of Malinas and the declarations
thereof, a copy of which will be given you, signed by Joan de Ledesma,
my court secretary, of that which I have issued for the said provinces
of Chile. I have therefore sent my letter to my said governor and
captain-general of said islands, and as soon as it shall be shown
to him, he shall take and receive from you, the said Doctor Antonio
de Morga, the oath and the formalities prescribed in such cases and
required from you. This having been done, you shall be received and
regarded as lieutenant for matters of government and war and assessor
for matters of justice; and you shall fill the said offices in every
case and affair touching or pertaining thereto, as has been said. As
soon as you shall have been received into the said offices, and shall
have had delivered to you the rod of my justice, no other lieutenant
whatever shall be permitted to exercise it, under the penalty
incurred by persons who exercise public and royal offices without
holding power and license therefor. After you have taken the said
rod of my justice, he and all the citizens and inhabitants, and the
captains, officers, and troops of the cities, towns, and settlements
of said islands shall have and hold you as such lieutenant-general
and assessor of the said government in government, war, and judicial
affairs. They shall cause to be exercised the functions of the said
offices in your person as herein provided, and shall observe and cause
to be observed for you all the honors, favors, civilities, licenses,
exemptions, preeminences, prerogatives, privileges, and other things,
and each and every one thereof which by reason of the said offices
you should have and enjoy. I, by these presents, receive you, and
hold you received into the use and exercise of the said offices; and
I give you power and authority to use and exercise them in case the
said governor, or any of the aforesaid persons, should not receive
you. It is my pleasure that you have and receive as yearly salary
for the said offices two thousand pesos of four hundred and fifty
maravedis each. I order the officials of my exchequer of the said
islands to give and pay you this salary from the day when you sail
from one of the two ports, Barrameda or Cadiz, on the way to assume
your duties in the said office. In the future your salary shall be
paid you, as long as you are in my service, at the times and terms
which were followed in the payment of the said licentiate Pedro de
Rojas. Your receipts, a sworn statement of the day of your sailing,
as aforesaid, and a copy of this my decree shall be entered in the
books of the officials. I order that the maravedis given and paid
for this reason be receipted and charged on account with no other
warrant whatsoever. Given at San Lorenço, on the eighteenth day of
August in the year one thousand five hundred and ninety-three.
_I The King_
I, Joan de Ybarra, secretary of our lord the king,
have written this at his command.
The licentiate _Hinojosa_
_Doctor Pedro Diaz de Tudanco_
The licentiate _Benito de Caltadano_
The licentiate _Bartolome de Toledo_
Registered: _Pedro de Ledesma_
For the chancellor: _Pedro de Ledesma_
This commission and royal decree was entered in the books of the
India House of Trade, of this city of Sevilla, on the eleventh of
January in the year one thousand five hundred and ninety-three.
_Doctor Gutierrez Flores_
_Ochoa de Orguiza_
_Fernando de Porras_
At Manila, the thirteenth day of June of the year one thousand five
hundred and ninety-five, before Don Luis Perez Dasmariñas, governor
and captain-general of these Ffilipinas Islands, by order of our
lord the king, and in the presence of me, the undersigned notary,
Doctor Antonio de Morga presented this royal decree and petitioned
for its execution. When the said governor heard this, he took the
decree, kissed it, and placed it above his head, as a decree of his
king and natural lord (may our Lord preserve him with increase of
better kingdoms and seigniories!); and in token of his readiness
to give commands in fulfilment of his Majesty's orders. Then the
said governor took and received him on his oath before God, our
Lord, and on a sign of the cross made by the right hand of the said
Doctor Antonio de Morga, that he would execute his trust and office
of lieutenant-general and assessor to the said governor truly and
faithfully, as was declared and contained in this decree in conformity
with the orders, commands, and decrees which in any manner refer or
pertain to the said office and trust. After he had so sworn before the
said governor, there was delivered to him the rod of royal justice,
in order that he might enjoy and exercise the said office. To this
were witnesses: The licentiate Pedro de Rojas, Estevan de Marquina.
_Luis Perez Dasmariñas_
Before me:
_Gaspar de Asebo_
The said copy was made, copied, corrected, and collated from the
government records under my charge. It is a true and faithful copy
of the records. The witnesses were Diego de Ffuentes, and Alonso de
Aguilar. Given at Manila, on the twenty-third of June in the year one
thousand five hundred and ninety-five. Therefore I affixed my seal,
in witness of its accuracy.
_Gaspar de Asebo_