The Philippine Islands, 1493-1803 | Page 2

letters
which he is to carry to various persons. Among these epistles, that
written by Hernando Cortés to the king of Cebú is given in full; he
therein takes occasion to blame Magalhães for the conflict with hostile
natives which resulted in the discoverer's death. He also asks the
Cebuan ruler to liberate any Spaniards who may be in his power, and
offers to ransom them, if that be required. Saavedra's own account of
the voyage states that the time of his departure from New Spain was
October, 1527. Arrivingat the island of Visaya, he finds three Spaniards
who tell him that the eight companions o Magalhães left at Cebú had
been sold by their captors to the Chinese.
Undaunted by these failures, another expedition sets forth (1542) to
gain a footing for Spanish power on the Western Islands--that
commanded by Ruy Lopez de Villalobos; it is under the auspices of the
two most powerful officials in New Spain, and is abundantly supplied
with men and provisions. The contracts made with the king by its
promoters give interesting details of the methods by which such
enterprises were conducted. Various encouragements and favors are
offered to colonists who shall settle in those islands; privileges and
grants are conferred on Alvarado, extending to his heirs. Provision is
made for land-grants, hospitals, religious instruction and worship, and
the respective rights of the conquerors and the king. The instructions
given to Villalobos and other officials are minute and careful. At
Navidad Villalobos and all his officers and men take solemn oaths
(October 22, 1542) to carry out the pledges that they have made, and to
fulfil their respective duties. In 1543 complaint is made that Villalobos
is infringing the Portuguese demarcation line, and plundering the
natives, which he denies. An account of his expedition (summarized,
like the other documents), written by Fray Jerónimo de Santistéban to
the viceroy Mendoza, relates the sufferings of the Spaniards from
hardships, famine, and disease. Of the three hundred and seventy men
who had left New Spain, only one hundred and forty-seven survive to
reach the Portuguese settlements in India. The writer justifies the acts

of Villalobos, and asks the viceroy to provide for his orphaned children.
Another account of this unfortunate enterprise was left by García
Descalante Alvarado, an officer of Villalobos; it also is written to the
viceroy of New Spain and is dated at Lisbon, August 1, 1548. Like
Santistéban's, this too is a record of famine and other privations, the
treachery of the natives, and the hostility of the Portuguese. Finally, a
truce is made between the Castilians and the Portuguese, and part of the
former embark (February 18, 1546) for the island of Amboina, where
many of them perish.
Nearly twenty years elapse before any further attempt of importance is
made to secure possession of the Philippine Archipelago. In 1564 this
is begun by the departure from New Spain of an expedition
commanded by Miguel Lopez de Legazpi, with which enterprise begins
the real history of the Philippine Islands. Synopses of many
contemporaneous documents are here presented, covering the years
1559-68. This undertaking has its inception in the commands of Felipe
II of Spain (September 24, 1559) to his viceroy in New Spain (now
Luis de Velasco) to undertake "the discovery of the western islands
toward the Malucos;" but those who shall be sent for this are warned to
observe the Demarcation Line. The king also invites Andrés de
Urdaneta, now a friar in Mexico, to join the expedition, in which his
scientific knowledge, and his early experience in the Orient, will be of
great value. Velasco thinks (May 28, 1560) that the Philippines are on
the Portuguese side of the Demarcation Line, but he will follow the
royal commands as far as he safely can. He has already begun
preparations for the enterprise, the purpose of which he is keeping
secret as far as possible. By the same mail, Urdaneta writes to the king,
acceding to the latter's request that he accompany the proposed
expedition. He emphasizes the ownership of "the Filipina Island"
(meaning Mindanao) by the Portuguese, and thinks that Spanish ships
should not be despatched thither without the king's "showing some
legitimate or pious reason therefor." Velasco makes report (February 9,
1561) of progress in the enterprise; the ships have been nearly built and
provisioned, and Legazpi has been appointed its general. Urdaneta
advises (also in 1561) that Acapulco be selected for their embarcation,
as being more convenient and healthful than Navidad. He makes
various other suggestions for the outfit of the expedition, which show

his excellent judgment and practical good sense; and asks that various
needed articles be sent from Spain. He desires that the fleet depart as
early as October, 1562. Legazpi in a letter to the king (May 26, 1563)