among our colonists or among others who are natives
of the island, now or in the future. You and your said subordinates
are also empowered to take the payments annexed and pertaining to the
said offices, and to make any investigation you think best in cases
at law, precedents, and all other matters annexed and pertaining
to the said offices. You and your said subordinates shall perform
the duties which pertain to our service and the execution of our
justice, and to the colonization and government of the said island
and towns. In order that you may enjoy and exercise the said offices
and execute our justice, all persons shall yield obedience to you
as to their persons and property; they shall offer and cause to be
offered you all the support and help that you may request and need
from them; in everything they shall respect and obey you, and shall
carry out your orders and those of your subordinates; and they shall
neither in whole nor in part place or consent to place any obstacle
or hindrance in your way. By the present decree we entrust you and
consider you entrusted with the aforesaid duties, and the enjoyment
and exercise of the same. We give you power and authority to enjoy
and exercise your office, and to administer and execute our justice
in the said island and in the settlements that have been and shall
be founded in the cities, towns, and villages of the said island,
and its boundaries, by you or your subordinates as aforesaid. And in
case that you should not be received by them, or any one of them,
by this our decree we order any person or persons who exercise or
shall exercise the authority of our justice in the towns of the said
island, to relinquish and surrender it to you, the said Miguel Lopez
de Legazpi, as soon as they shall be requested to do so; and they shall
enjoy the same no longer without our [19] permission and special order,
under the penalty which private citizens are liable to and incur who
make use of public and royal offices without possessing the due power
and authority. We hereby suspend, and already consider as suspended,
all such persons. Furthermore we order that the fines pertaining to
our exchequer and treasury imposed by you and your subordinates, be
enforced; and you must enforce them, and deliver and surrender them to
our treasurer in the said island. And further we order that if you,
the said Miguel Lopez de Legazpi, should consider it fitting to our
service and to the execution of