Letter from Hernan Cortes to the King of Cebu To you the honored and excellent King of Cebu, in the Maluco region:  I, Don Hernando Cortes, Captain-general and governor of this New Spain for the very exalted and most powerful Emperor, Caesar Augustus, King of the Spains, our Lord, send you friendly greeting, as one whom I love and esteem, and to whom I wish every blessing and good because of the good news I have heard concerning yourself and your land, and for the kind reception and treatment that you have given to the Spaniards who have anchored in your country.

You will already have heard, from the account of the Spaniards whom you have in your power—­certain people sent to those districts by the great emperor and monarch of the Christians about seven or eight years ago—­of his great power, magnificence, and excellency.  Therefore, and because you may inform yourself of what you most wish to know, through the captain and people, whom I send now in his powerful name, it is not needful to write at great length.  But it is expedient that you should know, that this so powerful prince, desiring to have knowledge of the manner and trade of those districts, sent thither one of his captains named Hernando de Magallanes with five ships.  Of these ships but one, owing to the said captain’s lack of caution and foresight, returned to his kingdoms; from its people his majesty learned the reason for the destruction and loss of the rest.  Now although he was sorely afflicted at all this, he grieved most at having a captain who departed from the royal commands and instructions that he carried, especially in his having stirred up war or discord with you and yours.  For his majesty sent him with the single desire to regard you all as his very true friends and servants, and to extend to you every manner of kindness as regards your honor and your persons.  For this disobedience the Lord and possessor of all things permitted that he should suffer retribution for his want of reverence, dying as he did in the evil pretension which he attempted to sustain, contrary to his prince’s will.  And God did him not a little good in allowing him to die as he did there; for had he returned alive, the pay for his negligence had not been so light.  And, in order that you and all the other kings and seigniors of those districts might have knowledge of his majesty’s wishes, and know how greatly he has grieved over this captain’s conduct, some two years ago he sent two other captains with people to those districts to give you satisfaction for it.  And he gave orders to me—­who, in his powerful name, reside in these his lands, which lie very near yours—­that I too despatch other messengers for this purpose, in order that he might have greater assurance, and that you might hold more certain his embassy, ordering and charging me especially that I do it with much diligence and brevity.  Therefore I am sending three ships with crews, who will give the very full and true reason of all this; and you