Chapter 1
Morga: I have given and delivered many papers and relations which I possessed, have planned to write this history; and I hope that they will publish it in better shape than the fragmentary histories which we have hitherto received from some contemporary historians.
Rizal: Perhaps Morga alludes to Argensola, who published his Historia de la conquista de las Molucas this same year of 1609.
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Morga: As fearful am I for the imperfections which will be found in this work, as I am persuaded that they deserve forgiveness, since my design and chief intent has been to give each one his due and to present the truth without hatred or flattery, which has been injured in some current narratives.
Rizal: Morga may refer to accounts of the battle with Oliver van Noordt, or the manuscripts of Juan de Plasencia, Martin de Rada, and others.
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Morga: Fray Andres de Urdaneta left the court for Nueva Españia
Rizal: Urdaneta received Felipe II's order to accompany the expedition while in Mexico.
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Morga: The first of the Spanish settlements was made in that port, and was called the city of Sanctisimo Nombre de Jesus [Most holy name of Jesus]
Rizal: Called Villa de San Miguel at first, according to San Agustín.
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Morga: These settlements were fortified with palm-trees and stout arigues
Rizal: Arigues comes from the Tagál word haligi, which are stout wooden posts, used to support the frames of buildings. The word is in quite common use in the Philippines among the Spanish speaking people. It is sometimes used to denote simply a column.
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Morga: The Spaniards entered the land by force of arms, and took it, together with the forts and artillery, on the day of St. Potenciana, May nineteen, one thousand five hundred and seventy-one.
Rizal: This was the date of Legazpi's arrival at Manila and not of the assault, which occurred in 1570.
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Morga: Upon this the natives and their chiefs made peace and rendered homage; and many others of the same island of Luzon did the same.
Rizal: The inhabitants of Sebu aided the Spaniards on this expedition, and consequently were exempted from tribute for a considerable period.
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Morga: He left it its name of Manila which it had received from the natives.
Rizal: The Tagáls called it Maynila.
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Morga: 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.
Rizal: Rather it was his grandson Salcedo. This hero, called the Hernán Córtes of the Filipinas, was truly the intelligent arm of Legazpi. By his prudence, his fine qualities, his talent, and personal worth, the sympathies of the Filipinos were captured, and they submitted to their enemies. He inclined them to peace and friendship with the Spaniards. He likewise saved Manila from Limahon. He died at the age of twenty-seven, and is the only one to our knowledge who named the Indians as his heirs to a large portion of his possessions, namely his encomienda of Bigan. (San Agustín).
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Morga: 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
Rizal: "He assigned the tribute that the natives were to pay to their encomenderos," says San Agustín. "This was one piece of cotton cloth, in the provinces where cloth was woven, of the value of four reals; two fanégas of rice; and one fowl. This was to be given once each year. Those who did not possess cloth were to give its value in kind of another product of their own harvest in that town; and where there was no rice harvested, they were to give two reals, and one-half real for the fowl, estimated in money."
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Morga: The Spaniards went thither in search of him and burned his fleet.
Rizal: "One thousand five hundred friendly Indians from the islands of Zebu, Bohol, Leyte, and Panay, besides the many other Indians of service, for use as pioneers and boat-crews, accompanied the Spaniards…" Lacandola and his sons and relatives, besides two hundred Bissayans and many other Indians who were enrolled in Pangasinan, aided them. (San Agustín).
More from this series:
Rizal's Annotation of Morga's Sucesos de las Islas Filipinas: Chapter 1 of 8
Rizal's Annotation of Morga's Sucesos de las Islas Filipinas: Chapter 2 of 8
Rizal's Annotation of Morga's Sucesos de las Islas Filipinas: Chapter 3 of 8
Rizal's Annotation of Morga's Sucesos de las Islas Filipinas: Chapter 4 of 8
Rizal's Annotation of Morga's Sucesos de las Islas Filipinas: Chapter 5 of 8
Rizal's Annotation of Morga's Sucesos de las Islas Filipinas: Chapter 6 of 8
Rizal's Annotation of Morga's Sucesos de las Islas Filipinas: Chapter 7 of 8
Rizal's Annotation of Morga's Sucesos de las Islas Filipinas: Chapter 8 of 8
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