Legazpi: Reply from Fr. Urdaneta to the King, Dated Mexico 28 May 1560, Including a Memorandum

Levesque, Rodrigue (1992). "Legazpi: Reply from Fr. Urdaneta to the King, Dated Mexico 28 May 1560, Including a Memorandum". History of Micronesia: A Collection of Source Documents. Volume 2, Prelude to Conquest, 1561-1595. Gatineau, Quebec: Éditions Lévesque. pp. 35–38. ISBN 0-920201-02-4.

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Abstract: A letter from Fray Andrés de Urdaneta to King Philip II, dated May 28, 1560, conveys his response to royal instructions to join a voyage to the Philippines under the orders of the Viceroy of New Spain. Urdaneta pledges his loyalty and recalls his earlier service, including more than a decade spent in the Moluccas between 1525 and 1536, where he served as both soldier and captain while overseeing the Royal Treasury. He frames his acceptance of the new mission within this long record of service to the Crown.

The letter also reflects on Urdaneta’s later life. He recounts his decision to enter religious life in 1552 and his subsequent service in New Spain under Viceroy Don Antonio de Mendoza. Acknowledging his age and declining health, he nonetheless accepts the commission, motivated by duty to the king and a desire to advance the Catholic faith. His tone underscores both humility and commitment, balancing personal limitations with obedience to royal command.

At the same time, Urdaneta raises concerns that the expedition might infringe on Portuguese rights, since the Philippines fell within their demarcation under existing treaties. He advises that Spain might instead consider exploring uncharted territories within its own zone of influence. He also stresses the importance of rescuing stranded Spaniards from earlier voyages, proposing measures to secure their release and noting the value of the knowledge they could provide.