The Philippine Islands, 1493-1898 — Volume 16 of 55 1609 Explorations by Early Navigators, Descriptions of the Islands and Their Peoples, Their History and Records of the Catholic Missions, as Related in Contemporaneous Books and Manuscripts, Showing the Political, Economic, Commercial and Religious Conditions of Those Islands from Their Earliest Relations with European Nations to the Close of the Nineteenth Century

This volume opens a window onto the early Spanish encounters with the Philippine archipelago. It presents full translations of Antonio de Morga’s vivid account of his voyage to Mexico and his observations of life in Manila, alongside Bartolomé Leonardo de Argensola’s 1609 narrative of the conquest of the Moluccas and its links to the islands. Included are rare facsimiles of title pages, ship illustrations, and a 16th‑century appendix on Pampangas’ legal customs, all drawn from archives in Sevilla, Harvard and other institutions.

The editors have carefully selected the most relevant passages, providing concise synopses for omitted material and extensive notes that clarify historical context. This approach makes otherwise inaccessible manuscripts readable for students and enthusiasts alike, highlighting the political, economic and religious landscape of the Philippines at the turn of the seventeenth century. Listeners will gain a textured sense of early colonial life, from missionary ventures to everyday customs, through the eyes of contemporary chroniclers.