Dr. Antonio Morga

[Order by the council:  “Let a decree be issued for the governor of the Philipinas to have these accounts taken.  They shall be taken by Doctor Antonio de Morga.  The results shall be sent to this council, with an account of everything that is done, and his opinion of what is meet to be done.  A complete report shall be made of the royal property in that treasury.”]

[Endorsed: “Considered May 27, 1596.  Decree enclosed.”]

This is a true and faithful copy taken from a royal decree and issued by the royal Council of the Indias, which Doctor Antonio de Morga, assessor and lieutenant to the governor in the judicial cases in these Ffilipinas Islands, presented before Don Luis Perez Dasmarinas, governor and captain-general thereof.  Its contents are as follows: 

Don Felipe, by the grace of God king of Castilla, [here follows the usual list of his dignities and titles]: 

Appreciating what you, Doctor Antonio de Morga, have done in my service, and your good qualities, learning, and efficiency, it is my will to choose and appoint you as I hereby do, my assessor and lieutenant to my governor and captain-general of the Filipinas, in place of Licentiate Pedro de Rojas, who at present serves in said office, and whom I have promoted as criminal alcalde of my royal Audiencia of the City of Mexico.  It is my will that you be lieutenant-general of said governor and captain-general, with jurisdiction in affairs of government and war, to act as such; and, for the time that I may so desire, you shall exercise said offices in the affairs and cases which may arise in said islands, and relating to and bearing on them, in the fulness and manner exercised by former lieutenant-generals, and by him who at present fills that office in the provinces of Chile, in the affairs of government and war.  The governor shall not appoint or have any other lieutenant; and in prosecuting, determining, and closing the cases which may occur, take place, or arise, in said islands, you shall proceed in the form and order which is contained and declared in the decree signed by my hand on the seventeenth day of the month of January of the present year, one thousand five hundred and ninety-three.  As concerns the cases and suits about the Indians which may arise in those islands, you shall proceed according to the decree of Malinas and the declarations thereof, a copy of which will be given you, signed by Joan de Ledesma, my court secretary, of that which I have issued for the said provinces of Chile.  I have therefore sent my letter to my said governor and captain-general of said islands, and as soon as it shall be shown to him, he shall take and receive from you, the said Doctor Antonio de Morga, the oath and the formalities prescribed in such cases and required from you.  This having been done, you shall be received and regarded as lieutenant for matters of government and war and assessor for matters of justice; and you shall fill