him, and having made peace and drawn his blood with
two chiefs, styling themselves kings of this said town
(by name Soliman and Raxa respectively), and without
giving them cause or treating them in a manner that
would make the said natives change their attitude,
the above said chiefs began war treacherously and
unexpectedly, without advising him beforehand; and
wounded and seized certain Indians accompanying us.
After that they discharged the artillery in their
fort, two balls from which struck the ship “San
Miguel,” on board of which was the said master-of-camp.
He, in order to guard himself from the injury which
the said Moros were doing him in starting the war,
and to prevent their artillery from harming his men,
attacked the said fort of the Moros, and captured it
by force of arms and is now in possession of it.
And inasmuch as the said fort and town of Manila have
been won in lawful and just war, and since, according
to the said natives, Manila is the capital of all the
towns of this said island: therefore in his Majesty’s
name, he was occupying and did occupy, was taking
and did take, royal ownership and possession, actual
and quasi, of this said island of Luzon and of all
the other ports, towns, and territories adjoining
and belonging to this said island. Moreover,
as a sign of real occupation, he ordered his ensign
to raise the flag of his company on the fort built
by the natives, had the artillery found in the said
fort taken for his Majesty, and performed other acts
and duties as a sign of real occupation. And
when he had thus taken the said possession in his Majesty’s
name, he asked me, the aforesaid notary, to certify
and attest it, and to draw up a statement so that
the proceeding might be clearly set forth. In
fulfilment of that demand, I, the said Hernando Riquel,
certify, as an actual witness, to whomsoever may see
this present, that the said master-of-camp took and
seized in his Majesty’s name the said possession
in the manner above specified. And in affirmation
of the above I draw up this statement, which the said
master-of-camp signed; witnesses to all the abovesaid
being the sergeant-major Juan de Morones, the high
constable Graviel de Rrivera, the ensign-in-chief
Gaspar Ramirez, and many other soldiers in the said
fort.
Martin de Goite
Drawn in my presence:
Hernando Riquel
Collated with the original, which is in my possession.
Hernando Riquel
[Endorsed: “Possession taken of the island of Lucon in his Majesty’s name.” “Possession of Luzon.”]
Letter from Miguel Lopez de Legazpi to Felipe II
Sacred Royal Catholic Majesty: