nt residence there.
In February, 1605, a formal complaint against the Chinese is made
before the authorities at Manila by Archbishop Benavides, supported
by the depositions of several witnesses. The Parian in that city,
destroyed in the insurrection of 1603, has been rebuilt, and is
again peopled by "infidel Sangleys." These Chinese are idolatrous,
and exceedingly licentious and vicious; and in both these respects
are demoralizing the Indian natives, and drawing them away from
the Catholic faith. The Chinese, moreover, are inclined to revenge
themselves on the Spaniards for the slaughter of their countrymen in
the insurrection of 1603, and thus are a constant source of danger. He
recommends that they be driven out of the city, except that they be
allowed a place where they can live during the months while the ships
for the Mexican trade are being unloaded and freighted; and that they
be not allowed to hold intercourse with the Indians. The archbishop
also denounces the Japanese (who reside not far from the Chinese
quarter in Manila) as being equally vicious and dangerous. For all
these reasons, he causes a secret investigation to be made of the
whole matter, which he has not been able to induce the governor
to do. Further testimony to the same effect is given by several
witnesses. Talavera, a cura of the natives in Manila, states that he
has been told that the Mindanao pirates were incited to hostilities
by the Chinese; also that the archbishop had repeatedly striven,
but in vain, to correct the evils arising from the proximity of the
natives to these vicious foreigners. A sworn statement by Francisco de
Avila (June 15) is appended, showing that Chinese were then residing
in the houses of prominent citizens of Manila. A letter is written
(March, 1605) by the officials of the Chinese province of Chincheo,
to Governor Acuna, demanding investigation of the late Sangley revolt
at Manila and redress for the killing of so many Chinese.
The leading Augustinians at Manila send to the king (May 4) a formal
complaint against Fray Lorenso de Leon, whom they charge with arbitrary
and illegal acts, and with scheming to gain power in the order,
and with forcing his own election as provincial. They ask the king to
induce the papal nuncio to revoke Fray de Leon's authority, and to send
a visitor to regulate the affairs of the order in the islands. This
request is supported by a brief letter from the commissary of the
Inquisition (a
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