History of the Philippine IslandsMorga, Antonio de
History
History of the Philippine Islands
Morga, Antonio de
Philippines -- History
Adelantado Miguel Lopez de Legazpi, as above-said, discovered the
islands, colonized them, and made a good beginning in the work of
pacification and subjugation. He founded the city of Sanctisimo Nombre
de Jesus in the provinces of Pintados, and then the city of Manila
in the island of Luzon. In this island he conquered the province
of Ylocos, in whose settlement and port called Vigan, he founded a
Spanish colony, to which he gave the name of Villa Fernandina. [23]
He also pacified the province of Pangasinan and the island of Mindoro,
fixed the amount of tribute that the natives were to pay throughout the
islands, [24] and made many ordinances concerning their government and
conversion, until his death in the year one thousand five hundred and
seventy-four, at Manila, where his body was buried in the monastery
of St. Augustine. [25]
At his death, there was found among his papers a sealed despatch from
the Audiencia of Mexico, which was governing when the fleet left
Nueva Españia, appointing a successor to the government, in case
of the death of the adelantado. By virtue of this despatch, Guido
de Labazarris, formerly a royal official, took the office and was
obeyed. He continued the conversion and pacification of the islands
with great wisdom, valor, and system, and governed them.
During his term the pirate Limahon came from China, and attacked Manila
with a fleet of seventy large war-ships and many soldiers. He entered
the city, and, after killing the master-of-camp, Martin de Goiti,
with other Spaniards who were at his house, marched against the fort,
in which the Spaniards, who were but few, had taken refuge, with
the intention of seizing and subjecting the country. The Spaniards,
reinforced from Vigan by Captain Joan de Salzedo and his soldiers--for
Salzedo saw this pirate pass his coasts, and brought the reinforcement
to Manila--defended themselves so bravely that, after having killed
many of Limahon's men, they forced him to reembark, to leave the bay
in flight, and to take refuge in Pangasinan River. The Spaniards went
thither in search of him and burned his fleet. [26] For many days they
besieged this pirate on land, but he, taking flight in small boats
that he made there secretly, put to sea and abandoned the islands.
During the government of this same Guido de Labazarris, trade and
commerce were established between Great China and Manila. Merchant
ships came every year and the governor received them kindly, and as
a consequence commerce has been growing ever since.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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