The previous record of the expedition is now continued.  Legazpi makes a treaty with the chiefs of Cebu, who acknowledge the king of Spain as their suzerain.  Gradually the natives regain their confidence in the Spaniards, return to their homes, and freely trade with the foreigners.  Legazpi now is obliged to contend with drunkenness and licentiousness among his followers, but finds that these evils do not annoy the natives, among whom the standard of morality is exceedingly low.  They worship their ancestors and the Devil, whom they invoke through their priests (who are usually women).  Legazpi administers justice to all, protects the natives from wrong, and treats them with kindness and liberality.  The head chief’s niece is baptized, and soon afterward marries one of Legazpi’s ship-men, a Greek; and other natives also are converted.  The Spaniards aid the Cebuans against their enemies, and thus gain great prestige among all the islands.  They find the Moros keen traders, and through them obtain abundance of provisions; the Moros also induce their countrymen in the northern islands to come to Cebu for trade.  An attempt to reduce Matan fails, except in irritating its people.  A dangerous mutiny in the Spanish camp is discovered and the ringleaders are hanged.  The Spaniards experience much difficulty in procuring food, and are continually deceived and duped by the natives, “who have no idea of honor,” even among themselves.  Several expeditions are sent out to obtain food, and this opportunity is seized by some malcontents to arouse another mutiny, which ends as did the former.  On October 15, 1566, a ship from New Spain arrives at Cebu, sent to aid Legazpi, but its voyage is a record of hardships, mutinies, deaths, and other calamities; it arrives in so rotten a condition that no smaller vessel could be made from it.  A number of men die from “eating too much cinnamon.”  Portuguese ships prowl about, to discover what the Spaniards are doing, and the infant colony is threatened (July, 1567) with an attack by them.

A petition (probably written in 1566), signed by the Spanish officials in the Philippines, asks for more priests there, more soldiers and muskets ("so that if the natives will not be converted otherwise, they may be compelled to it by force of arms"), rewards for Legazpi, exemptions from taxes for all engaged in the expedition, grants of land, monopoly of trade, etc.  A separate petition, by Legazpi, asks the, king for various privileges, dignities, and grants.  Still other requests are made (probably in 1568) by hit son Melchor, who claims that Legazpi had spent all his fortune in the service of Spain, without receiving any reward therefor.