I offer your Majesty this relation, which, when I came to this court about three years ago, [33] I gave to his Majesty who is in heaven, so that he might be informed, as was desirable, of that kingdom so remote from his royal eyes.  I felt now that I was obliged to present it to your Majesty, and on this occasion I have taken the opportunity to extend it to greater length, and to give your Majesty a fuller account—­being encouraged to do so by seeing the glorious beginnings that your Majesty has given to your monarchy, on which, in the name of that kingdom, I give your Majesty a thousand congratulations, and may you enjoy it very many years, with the greatest happiness and increasing prosperity.  I have written this relation with entire exactness and truth regarding all the facts that I have collected during so many years—­and thus as well as was possible to me—­without considering any human respects, which are what usually obscure such mirrors, in order that they might not give the light that is desirable in such an account.  I relate, then, what has occurred in Filipinas, from the time of their first discoverers; their tendency toward, advancement; and the mildest and most advisable measures for the attainment of admirable ends.  I trust, through God our Lord, that, if this child and offspring of my intellect has the good fortune to pass before the royal eyes of your Majesty, it will be of great importance to your royal service.

[The present book is divided into three parts.  Part first, consisting of ten chapters, is a short resume of Philippine history from the earliest discoveries until the naval battle at Playa Honda with the Dutch.  The second part, consisting of seven chapters, deals more intimately with the needs and resources of the islands, and the importance of their conservation—­that is, of matters that fell particularly to Los Rios in his capacity of procurator-general.  The third part, in five chapters, relates to ecclesiastical matters in the Philippines, and contains brief remarks on the Moluccas.  The first six chapters of part first are here only synopsized, with some extracts, as they deal with matters rather fully presented heretofore in this series.  All the remainder of the book is translated in full.]

Part First

[Chapter I treats “of the first discoverers of the Filipinas, and of their location.”  In rapid survey Los Rios sketches the expeditions of Magalhaes, Loaisa, Villalobos, and Legazpi, although wrongly placing the latter’s death in 1574 instead of 1572.  The location of the islands is briefly described and the names of some of the principal ones given, among them “Mindanao, which is the largest, and with which we are at war, although it had formerly rendered your Majesty homage.”  Continuing his narrative, the governorships of Guido de Labacares (whose death is wrongly stated as occurring in 1575), Francisco de Sande, the two Ronquillos (who are mentioned