war as certain, as being our honorable decision,
the members of the council discussed the question of drawing off
beforehand the unwholesome humor from the body of this commonwealth
by expelling the Sangleys--who in an emergency would dangerously
divide our attention and our forces. Most of the speakers were in
favor of driving away all the infidels, leaving only the Christians,
who would in part render to the community the many services in which
the men of that nation are employed for its benefit; and, since the
Christian Sangleys were few, it would be easy to secure ourselves
from them. Moreover, we could, profiting by our experience of their
procedure, easily get rid of them if that should be expedient for our
defense in such an emergency. The council came to the conclusion that
the merchants should be allowed to carry their property with them, and
return [to China] in peace with their merchandise--not only because
they had come here in confidence and on the security afforded by the
peace, but because this generous conduct of ours would pacify their
resolute attitude, and Cot-sen would feel more anxiety at seeing how
little importance we attached to increasing his forces with the men
whom we were sending away, and at our contempt for his resources in
not appropriating the property of his people.

As this sudden change might cause some disturbances when it should
be put into execution, the publication of the council's decision
was delayed until as many of the cavalry horses as possible could be
conveyed to the stock-farms; for, after the military authorities had
seized the roads promptly with their troops, they could check any
rash attempt, and the infidels could be peaceably sent to the ships
as had been decreed. It was resolved by unanimous vote to withdraw
the garrisons from Ternate, Zamboangan, Calamianes, and Yligan,
since everything was at risk in the principal fort [i.e., Manila],
which had not more than six hundred soldiers--and of these hardly
two hundred were in condition to endure the hardships of a campaign
or of service on the walls. [44]

These conferences, and the activities that necessarily followed from
them were perfectly known by the Sangleys (whose fear kept them very
attentive to everything), and the lack of secrecy in the members
of the council gave them exact knowledge [of its proceedings];
consequently, they were fully assured of a war and of their own
danger. This fear was increased by the