f the illustrious St. Augustine which resides in these
islands, has need of austere [28] friars from Castilla to carry on the
conversion which they have wrought in this land, and have commenced
in Japon. Some friars of ability will be necessary to help them,
considering that those who become friars in Mexico are not esteemed
in this country. For this reason the said order is sending father
Fray Diego de Guevara, hitherto prior of the convent in this city,
to bring religious here. He is a thorough religious himself, and
zealous for the good of his order. This convent of your Majesty,
and of the minor friars of our father St. Francis, deprives itself of
him for the greater good. I humbly beg your Majesty to be pleased to
command that the said father be sent back, without delay, so that he
may continue to carry out his earnest desires; for in this he does
great service to God and to your Majesty, whom may our Lord protect
for the welfare and growth of Christendom. Manila, from this convent
of Nuestra Senora de los Angeles; December 19, 1603.

_Fray Joan de Garrovillas_, definitor and guardian.

THE SANGLEY INSURRECTION

Letter from the Audiencia

Sire:

By way of Nueva Espana this Audiencia has informed your Majesty of
occurrences up to that time; and although this letter will be very
uncertain, as it must go by way of Portuguese India, it has seemed
best to write it, giving an account of what has happened since,
as it is so important.

By the last letter of this Audiencia, dated on the fifth of July of
this year, we gave your Majesty an account of three mandarins from
the kingdom of China who had come to this city, and the innovation
which they had instituted, on account of which the governor and
captain-general considered the plan of fortifying this city, and
providing, in case anything should happen, the supplies necessary
and suitable for its defense and safety. This caused some disturbance
among the Chinese, who began to confer among themselves, in secret,
concerning the means of insurrection. Although great care was taken by
this Audiencia and the governor to keep them quiet, and to relieve them
of the fear which they were said to have on account of the aforesaid
precautions, it was not sufficient, and following their resolve,
on the night of the last St. Francis' day, at about eleven o'clock,
they revolted. They chose for their leader a Christian Sangley named
Joan Untae, who, according to the investig