The licentiate Hieronimo de Salazar y Salzedo

[Endorsed: “Examined and answered.”]

Letter from the King of Borneo to Governor Tello

The contents of this letter, written this year, one thousand five hundred and ninety-nine, by the king of Burney to his Highness Don Francisco Tello, knight of the Order of Santiago, governor and captain-general of the Philipinas Islands for the king our sovereign, and president of the royal Audiencia and Chancilleria resident therein, and translated by a good and exact interpreter, are as follows.

Soltan Adil Lula: 

Letter of friendship sent by the king of Burney to Don Francisco Tello, captain-general of the fortress of the city of Manila, because of the information I have received that he governs that city exceedingly well, not only for the service of God, but furnishing justice to the regions about, with protection to the poor—­whereat I have rejoiced greatly, and all the nobles and natives of my kingdom have done the same.

I received the letter that your Lordship sent me through Hernando, Don Francisco Tael, and Don Joan Solit.  It gave me much happiness, for I understood thoroughly the message conveyed by it to me from your Lordship.  I am exceedingly rejoiced in heart and mind, for I desire fast friendship with the captain-general of Manila.  Therefore, I request that, when my vassals go to Manila, you will give them kind treatment; and I shall do the same when men from Manila come to my country.  This is in token of friendship, and if this is always observed, I shall be very glad, and likewise if you will have pity on the Burneys.  I received two Burneys, whom the Spaniards had captured; they arrived at my court.  And, inasmuch as your Lordship orders me, in your letter that I receive, to send any Sangleys that I might have here to Manila, I am now sending two who were captured by the Camutones; one is named Bonzhuan and the other Adali.  I am sending them to your Lordship as a token of lasting friendship with the Burneys.  Furthermore, I am sending five taes of camphor, of Burney weight, and three large Burney mats.  And that your Highness may not jest at my present, know that I am sending you a [word uncertain in MS.]

The above translation was made by Constantino Xuarez and Miguel Yaat, a native of Burney.  They declared it to have been thoroughly and exactly made, without any change of sense.  They signed the same before me, Estevan de Marquina, alcalde-mayor of Tondo and its district, for the king our sovereign.  July twenty-seven of the said year, one thousand five hundred and ninety-nine. [7]

Estevan de Marquina

+

Constantyno Xuarez [Miguel Yaat]

[Endorsed:  “Original letter written by the king of Burney to Don Francisco Tello, governor of the Phelippinas, translated from the Burney tongue into Castilian.”]