Grabiel de Ribera

Before me: 

Diego Lopez Carreno, notary of the fleet

I, Grabiel de Ribera, captain of infantry for his Majesty in the Filipinas islands of the West, who by order of the very illustrious Doctor Francisco de Sande, governor and captain-general of these islands, come to pacify and explore the river of Mindanao, by virtue of the commission and instructions given me by his Lordship to make the said expedition:  inasmuch as I have reached the village of Tapaca in prosecution of my voyage, and after remaining here certain days, summoning and notifying the natives—­in the presence of a notary, who attested the same—­to come to make peace; and having informed them that I came in his Majesty’s name to pacify the said river, and to make the natives and residents of that region vassals of his Majesty—­which was proclaimed through interpreters who understand their language; and inasmuch as the natives of the said village, although all the above information was proclaimed, have fled and abandoned their houses and lands, and the fleet is suffering from lack of provisions, for the food is all gone; and because it would be extremely difficult for it to ascend the river farther, and would require much time, because of the great strength of the current all along the river, it having taken three days to tow the galleys and fragatas by means of small oared vireys from the village of Mindanao to this of Tapaca (a distance of four leagues), because of the said current:  therefore in the name of his Majesty, and for the proper provision and despatch of the said fleet and men, and so that the instructions of his Lordship may be observed and obeyed, he said that he delegated, and he did delegate, all his power, as far as he possesses it for the said purpose, to Pedro Brizeno de Oseguera, a citizen of the town of Santisimo Nombre de Jesus—­a deserving and capable man, and experienced in that land—­so that with two vireys and one barangay, all oared boats, and accompanied by twenty-six soldiers, he may ascend the said river.

When he has reached certain settlements on the river, and in especial that of the village of Ybatel (where it is said the petty king Limasancay is), he shall notify him and the chiefs of the said village, and those of the village of Buayen, through the interpreters that he shall take with him, that the said Pedro Brizeno de Oseguera goes by my orders to the said villages, to inform them that I have come by order of the said governor to execute and fulfil the above purpose; and that I am awaiting, in this village of Tapaca, the said Limasancay and the other chiefs to come to make peace and to acknowledge themselves vassals of his Majesty, as Dato Bahandie, chief of this river, has done.  Likewise he shall inform them that his Majesty’s purpose in sending me to this said river is to pacify it and make it peaceful, and to make them understand the great delusion in which all the natives thereof