rticularly the stone-workers, lime-burners,
sawyers, fishermen, and gardeners, as they were people who reside
in the country, and for this reason it will be right to exercise
more caution in living with them; and likewise in order to have
them make arrows, bows, pikes, baqueruelos, and other articles for
the royal warehouses, as it is from these that all of the military
supplies are provided. I likewise ordered that they should collect,
bring together, and transport as many provisions as possible. I was
not careless in regard to the walls, but rather with much diligence
repaired what was necessary; and I continued the building of the fort
which I wrote your Majesty was being made on the point, as it was so
necessary a defense, and the supplies and other articles had to be
gathered and guarded there. To this end I had brought a great number
of Sangleys for the works, and had contracted with them to construct a
ditch in the part where their Parian and alcayceria stand, and along
the whole front from the river to the sea; and, as the plan shows,
this may be flooded with water at high tide, which enters through
the river. As all the Sangleys had knowledge of this, and there were
among them restless and vagabond people who had nothing to lose,
and who on account of their crimes, evil life, and debts could not
go back to China without being punished there for these things with
much severity, they took this as a pretext to win over the merchants
and quiet people, persuading them that the precautions and measures
which I was taking were in order to kill them; and, since the Sangleys
were so many and we so few, it would be well to be beforehand with
us and kill us, taking our lands. When this came to my knowledge I
had them assemble several times, and explained to them the mistake
under which they were laboring, and that the Spaniards were not a
people to harm anyone who did not deserve it. I told them to be calm,
and confide in me; and that I would do them no harm if they on their
part gave me no reason to do so. It appeared that they were quieted,
but the gamblers and worthless people--who were very numerous, and
had been the prime instigators--incited and persuaded them in such
manner that they made them believe that I and the friendly Spanish
merchants who were with them and conferred with them were deceiving
them. Accordingly many of those in the Parian withdrew from there,
and went over to the other side of the river, as if