The governors of these islands are almost absolute, and like private masters of them.  They exercise supreme authority by reason of their charge, for receiving and sending embassies to the neighboring kings and tyrants, for sending them gifts and presents in the name of their king, and for accepting those which those kings and tyrants send them.  They can make and preserve peace, declare and make war, and take vengeance on all who insult us, without awaiting any resolution from court for it.  Therefore many kings have rendered vassalage and paid tribute to the governors, have recognized them as their superiors, have respected and feared their arms, have solicited their friendship, and tried to procure friendly relations and commerce with them; and those who have broken their word have been punished.  The legitimate king of Borney, who had been dispossessed of his kingdom, because his brother, who had no right to it, had usurped it, begged help from Doctor Don Francisco de Sande, governor of these islands.  Governor Sande went with his fleet, fought with and drove away the tyrant, and put the legitimate king in possession [of his throne]; the latter rendered obedience to the governor, appointed in the place of the king of Espana, and subjected himself to this crown as vassal and tributary.  The same happened during the term of Gomez Perez Dasmarinas, to whom the king of Siao came to render homage.  Governor Don Pedro de Acuna went to Ternate with a fleet, fought, conquered, and took the king of that island [97] prisoner to Manila, as a pledge that the Ternatans would not again admit the Dutch and English—­who, with their consent, were beginning to engage heavily in that commerce, and were seizing the country.  Although Don Juan Nino de Tabora had a royal decree ordering that that king be restored to his kingdom, he did not execute it, as that seemed unadvisable to him.  Consequently the king died in Manila.  One of his sons was also a prisoner of war, and the governor appointed a cachil to govern in his stead.  That king, the king of Tidore, and others in the same islands of Ternate rendered homage to Don Pedro de Acuna, and became friends of the Spaniards.  The said governor received them under the canopy in the name of the king of Espana, and took them under his protection and care.  In the year of 1618, the same governor [i.e., Alonso Fajardo y Tenza] made peace and treaties with the king of Macasar, who also placed himself under Espana’s protection, so that the governor might protect him in his needs and necessities.

The country formerly had very peaceable relations with the emperor of Japon, and also a very rich and useful commerce; and his Majesty ordered by a royal decree of June 4, 1609, that it be preserved, although at the expense of gifts and presents of considerable price and value.  That friendship lasted until the year 1634, when the Japanese were found lacking in it because of the Dutch—­who, always following in our footsteps, introduced their commerce into that empire.