The Philippine Islands, 1493-1803; 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, commericial and religious conditions of those islands from their earliest relations with European nations to the beginning of the nineteenth century; [Vol. 1, no. 2]

I521-I569] RESUME OF DOCUMENTS

I55

Cebui, circa 1566. A petition to the king bearing
signatures of Martin de Goiti, Guido de Labezari,
Andres Cauchela, Luis de la HayA, Gabriel de
Rribera, Juan Maldonado de Berrocal, Joan de la
Isla, and Fernando Rriquel, sets forth the following
requests: i. That ecclesiastics be sent to Cebui,
"for the preaching of the holy gospel and the conversion of the natives," as only three of those first
sent remain, namely, Fray Diego, Fray Martin de
Herrada, and Fray Pedro de Gamboa. 2. More
men, and arms and ammunition for five or six
hundred men, so that if the natives will not be
converted otherwise, they may be compelled to it by
force of arms. 3. That due rewards be granted
Legazpi for his faithful service. 4. The confirmation and perpetuation of the appointments made by
the viceroy of New Spain, Luis de Velasco, in the expedition of Legazpi. 5. That the king grant to all
those of the expedition and their descendants forever
exemption from pecho 7 and custom duty, as well as
exemption from tax on all merchandise that they
might trade in these islands for the period of one
hundred years. 6. That transferable repartimientos 7
be granted to the conquerors and new discoverers.
7. That the wives and children of the conquerors,
whether in Spain or New Spain, be sustained from
the royal estate until the repartimientos be made; and
were drawn up by order of Legazpi, and relate to occurrences
after the fleet reached Cabalian (March, 1565), until the resolution to colonize in Cebu. They are mainly concerned with negotiations with the natives, and are fully attested; but contain nothing
additional to the matter in the relations.
76 A tax paid to the monarch by those not belonging to the
nobility.
77 See note 18, ante, on repartimientos and encomiendas.