esses, was given and delivered on this day, the sixth of April of
this year, to Sibandao, an Indian chief of this town, so that he might
give it to the said Limasancay. Sibandao, through the said interpreter,
offered to take it and deliver it to Limasancay. In order that it might
appear in the records, this copy was inserted. The said captain and
the said interpreter signed it. Witnesses were Francisco Velazquez,
Lope de Catalina, and Juan Lopez de Queto.

_Gabriel de Ribera_
_Miguel Godines_

Before me:

_Benito de Mendiola_, notary of the fleet

This is a well and faithfully executed copy of a commission given to
Lope de Catalinaga by the illustrious captain, Gabriel de Ribera,
who comes to pacify these islands of Mindanao and Jolo, by order
of the very illustrious Doctor Francisco de Sande, of his Majesty's
council and governor and captain-general of these islands. Its tenor
is as follows:

I, Grabiel de Ribera, captain of infantry and of the fleet and people
who come to pacify the islands of Jolo and Bindanao, at the order
of the very illustrious governor and captain-general for his Majesty
of these islands: Inasmuch as the instructions of the said governor
ordered me to send some one from the town of Santisimo Nombre de Jesus
to pacify the river and tingues [mountains] of Butuan; and considering
how much we may shorten the long voyage by going from this district
of Cavite instead of from the said town, and that we have here ships
and rowers suitable for this undertaking--therefore in the name of his
Majesty I entrust the said expedition to Sergeant Lope de Catalinaga. I
order him to go as leader for the said pacification with fifteen
soldiers besides himself. I order him to go with the said soldiers
to the said river and tingues of Butuan to pacify the said people in
the tingues. He shall try to render them obedient to his Majesty,
making the best possible terms of peace by means of interpreters
whom he is taking. From the natives of the said tingues, when they
are pacified, he shall have power to collect such tribute as in all
fairness can be collected from them. As he has the matter in hand,
he shall do what is most convenient in this. Having collected the
tribute, he shall keep one-half of it very carefully, as it belongs
to his Majesty. The other half, according to his Lordship's orders,
shall be divided among his soldiers, according to custom. Everything
that shall be done upon this expedition shall be