They captured many Indians and their wealth (for the latter had considerable gold) through the fault of the captains and alcaldes-mayor who were governing those islands, and were not punished for it.

And although punishment is one of the two arms of justice that preserves states, there has been so great lack of it in Manila, that signal injuries have thereby resulted.
The Moros became excited by those captures, and through the exercise of war they became more skilful and daring.

To such a height has their boldness reached, through the carelessness and neglect of the governors, that all those islands have been destroyed and ruined.

They could very well have been restrained, but the reasons why they neglected to do that cannot be explained here, because the case in hand demands that many things be passed by; but if your Majesty cares to know, I will explain them.
Those Indians [_i.e._, the Moros] are so vile and cowardly that they have never engaged in close combat with the Spaniards, very few of whom have dared to resist vast multitudes; yet the Moros have inflicted signal injuries.

The worst is that these last few years they have committed greater ones, so that there is no Christian or friendly Indian who is safe in his house or country.