--assembled at the royal buildings the bishops of these
islands and the provincials and superiors of the orders thereof,
in consultation upon the said decree. The said governor having read
to them the said royal decree, and certain ordinances treating of
discoveries and pacification, exactly as is contained in the said
decree, and they having heard what his Majesty orders, and having
consulted thereon, a decision was reached in the said meeting as to
what the governor and captain-general should command in regard to the
ordinances which his Majesty sent him, and which were publicly read,
as hereinbefore stated, with the heavy penalties which the aforesaid
decree provides against transgressors. For the future they understand
that our Lord's service demands that, by peaceful means of love,
all the Indians should render voluntary and free submission to his
Majesty the king of Castilla, our lord; and they offered that by
themselves and the religious, and the other ministers under their
control, all efforts should be made that this might be accomplished in
a short time. As regards restitution for the past, it seems best to
them that what can be easily effected by pious works and other means
should be done; and as for the rest this means would be taken, that
the religious should gain over the Indians by love and gentleness,
and that they should grant the natives freedom from tributes, which
were levied in times past, while they were infidels. Therefore the
following persons have affixed their signatures.

_Don Francisco Tello_
_Archbishop of Manila_
_Fray Miguel_, Bishop of Nueva Segovia.
_Fray Pedro_, [35] Bishop of Santisimo Nombre de Jesus.
_Fray Bernardo de Santa Catalina_, provincial.
_Raymundo de Prado_, vice-provincial.
_Fray Joan de San Pedro Martir_
_Joan de Rivera_

Before me: _Gaspar de Acebo_

This agrees with the original, which remains in my office:

_Roque Loino de Caceres_

In the village of Lumban, province of La Laguna de Bay, on the
thirteenth day of the month of June of the year one thousand five
hundred and ninety-nine, by command of the alferez Gregorio Ponce
de Leon, deputy of the alcalde-mayor of the said provinces for the
king our lord, and father Fray Antonio de Nombela, definitor of the
Order of St. Francis in the said islands, and guardian of the said
convent and village--before me, notary-public of the said provinces
for his Majesty, were gathered all the governors, chiefs, headmen,
and l