[_Endorsed:_ "+ To his majesty. Seen. From the island of Cubu from
Miguel Lopez de Legazpi and others. June first, 1565."]




A Letter from the Royal Officials of the Filipinas Accompanied by a
Memorandum of the Necessary Things to Be Sent to the Colony


Most powerful sirs:

As your highness [88] must have already learned through the despatch
carried as from us by the bachelor Myñes [Martinez], we set sail
for these Western Islands on the twentieth of November, MDLXIIII. In
compliance with your highness's command, we shall relate what occurs
in those islands with all faithfulness and diligence.

Since your highness will find an account of the voyage made by us,
in the relation given by the pilots who come with the fleet, we
shall say no more about it, except by way of reference. We shall
only relate the events which concern the service of God, our Lord,
the service of his majesty, and the increase which his royal exchequer
can derive from these regions.

We reached these Felipinas on the thirteenth of February, MD[L]XV. From
the day of our arrival here until now we have found not a friend or a
people who submits to his majesty. The reason for this was disclosed
to us after we had sailed about in this archipelago for two months,