ent to your Majesty,
in order to say at one time what I believe in this matter. [_In the
margin_: "Take this to the fiscal also." "It was taken." "Answered
on a separate paper."]

6. The Chinese, Sire, who live in these islands are almost all
infidels. Their god is silver, and their religion the various ways
that they have of gaining it. Their nature is cowardly; and those who
come to this country have so little character that, as they are not
entitled to anything among their own countrymen, they come to get their
livelihood among us, serving in the most menial trades. They engage in
suits and disputes very readily, in which they threaten one another;
and each day they arm themselves for their sinister ends. They have
innumerable methods of hiding the truth. They furnish as many false
witnesses as they choose, for, as they are infidels, they do not fear
God; and as they are so greedy for money, they swear [falsely], and
even sell their own parents. Their names and occupations are changed
in every step, although for this there may be no better reason or
argument than their own ideas. They are many strangers, coming and
going. Every year some go and others come, and consequently, the
uncertainty and confusion is unavoidable. They are as freehanded in
their bribes as interested in their gains. As they have control of all
the merchandise, trading, gains, and mechanical trades of the country,
their extreme readiness to scatter bribes is remarkable. There is no
Spaniard, secular or religious, who obtains his food, clothing, or
shoes, except through them. Consequently, there is scarce a Sangley
who does not have his protector. Among themselves they have great
system and energy in all those of one trade acting together in all
matters that affect them. They guard one another against the Spaniard
to such an extent that, if I wish to change my shoemaker, I will not
be able to find among all those engaged in that occupation another who
will sell me a shoe. If anyone would dare to do so, the others upon
his return to China would bring suit before their mandarins, and thus
they would destroy him and all his relatives. [_In the margin_: "Take
it to the fiscal." "It was taken." "Answered on a separate paper."]

7. Therefore, since those of this nation are infidels and of so mean
a condition, one can easily infer that to attempt to govern them
with the method, rigor, and terms of our laws and regulations is
the highest injustice and a