thither,
and by gilding their crime and insubordination may have succeeded
in throwing the blame upon the Spaniards; for this, if there were
no advices there of the truth, might at least disturb traffic, and
make the merchants uncertain as to whether to come this year, which
would be an irreparable loss for this whole commonwealth. Thereby the
treasury of your Majesty would lose more than 52,000 pesos, which is
the usual value of the duties collected from merchandise that comes
from China--to say nothing of what is paid and the increase in value
at Acapulco, Mexico, and other parts where the cloth is taken. I have
accordingly despatched a ship with a person of ability and prudence,
carrying letters, some for the viceroys of Canton and Chincheo and
other mandarins, and others from the Sangley Avays who could be found
alive, written to their relatives and kinsmen, and the partners of
the dead men. All these give an account of the event, and tell how
the property of the Avays which they left in the hands of their
Spanish friends is deposited at good interest, to be added to it
for whomsoever is the owner; and that the debts which were owed by
Spaniards to Sangleys who were not implicated in the uprising would
also be paid. The Chinese were also informed that the merchants could
proceed with their commerce for the future, and that they would find
a hearty reception; but that they must go back in their ships the
same year. Although this is so pressing a reason for sending this
information, I was also led to do so in order that we might learn
whether in China they were getting together a fleet directed against
this country, as has been suspected since the coming of the mandarins,
and as we were led to believe by the letter which they wrote to me
before they disembarked, a duplicate copy of which I sent to your
Majesty. The whole city is very apprehensive of this, and chiefly the
archbishop and the orders, particularly the Dominicans. Although,
as I have said, I have left nothing undone in any way which could
provide for the defense and protection of this land, yet it would
be of much importance to obtain definite knowledge beforehand. This
despatch is directed to Malan [_sic; sc._ Macan] which is a settlement
of Portuguese in the land of China itself. I wrote to the commandant of
the place, and to the bishop and the fathers of the Society (which,
I am told, takes considerable part in the affairs of state), and
to the other o