themselves; but they proved of great harm and prejudice to the natives; and by them God our Lord, and your Majesty were not served.  With this remedy these evils cease.  Everything will be done which is thought most suitable for the service of your Majesty, and the support of this your camp and fleet.  May our Lord for many and fortunate years guard and prosper your Majesty’s state with increase of greater kingdoms and seigniories, as we, your Majesty’s faithful vassals, desire.  Manila, June 29, 1573.

Your Sacred Royal Catholic Majesty’s faithful vassal and most humble servant, who kisses your royal feet. [54]

Guido de Lavezaris

Relation of the Western Islands Called Filipinas

(Captain Artieda, who went to those islands for the king, wrote this relation.) [55]

Nueva Espana has two ports in the South Sea.  That which is called Acapulco is [very] good and can give shelter to many ships, no matter how large they may be; it is in seventeen and one-half degrees of north latitude.  The other is called Puerto de la Navidad; its entrance is shallow, and it can therefore give shelter to small ships only.  It is in nineteen and one-third degrees of north latitude.  From whichever of these ports one goes to [any of] the Western Islands, the best route is to sail strictly in the latitude in which lies the island that one wishes to reach; for in the season of the brisas, which is the right time to make the voyage, favorable stern winds are never wanting.  The season for the brisas lasts from the end of October to the end of April.  From the end of April to the end of October the vendavals blow, [56] which will be of help on the way back; but let it be remembered that he who wishes to return ought to take a higher degree of latitude, because there the winds will not fail him.

In view of your Majesty’s command and orders from Don Luis de Velasco, viceroy of Nueva Espana, the expedition commanded by Miguel Lopes de Legaspi has discovered since November twenty-first, 1564, the following islands to the west, in the South Sea: 

North-southwest from Puerto de la Navidad, in about ten degrees of north latitude, and at a distance of eleven hundred and twenty leagues, were found some islands running east and west.  The inhabitants were dressed in a sort of cloth made of thin palm-bark.  The men wore long beards, and for that reason the islands received the name of Barbudos. [57] No weapons were found among them, from which we can infer that they are a peaceful people, and that they had never come into conflict with other men.  They live on cocoanuts, roots, and fish.  It was learned that they kept some Castilian fowls.  These islands may be about one hundred and seventy-five leagues from Nueba Espana [S:  Nueva Guinea].