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]

152I-I569]

PREFACE

21

(i568) to break it up. As the two nations were at
peace, the PortugUese commander and Legazpi did
not at once engage in war, but carried on protracted
negotiations- a detailed account of which is here
presented, from the official notarial records kept by
Legazpi's chief notary, and transmitted to the home
government. Legazpi claims that he has come to
make new discoveries for his king, to propagate the
Christian religion, and to ransom Christians held
captive by the heathen in these regions; and that he
had regarded the Philippines as being within the
jurisdiction of Spain. If he has been mistaken, he
will depart from the islands at once, if Pereira will
provide him with two ships. The latter refuses to
accept Legazpi's excuses, and makes vigorous complaints against the encroachments of the Spaniards.
Pereira summons all the Spaniards to depart from
the islands, promising to transport them to India,
and offering them all aid and kindness, if they will
accede to this demand; but Legazpi declines these
proposals, and adroitly fences with the Portuguese
commander. These documents are of great interest,
as showing the legal and diplomatic formalities
current in international difficulties of this sort.
THE EDITORS