nish their
insolent acts; or to obtain satisfaction from Siam for the death of
Don Fernando de Silva"--of which the first was chosen. But, through
various delays, Tavora's voyage was begun too late, and defeated by
the stormy weather that ensued.

[43] The following note is a part of the original document:

"_Note_. While writing this relation, these forty Spaniards arrived
in a ship, less four sailors who wished to remain in the kingdom of
Camboja, whither went all those who remained in the lanchas after the
galleons left them. That king of Camboja protected them; and, although
he suspected that they were spies, they were welcomed cordially and
sent to Manila, where they arrived July first."

[44] This cruise by the Spanish galleons is of much the same piratical
character which the Spaniards themselves ascribed to the Dutch and
English adventurers of that time; nor did they hesitate to attack
peaceful trading ships, even those of nations against whom they had
no grievance.

[45] In 1627 the emperor Tienki (a grandson of Wanleh) died, and
was succeeded by his younger brother, Tsongching, who was the last
of the actual Ming rulers. In the latter part of his reign he was
almost constantly at war with the Manchus, who were ruled by Taitsong,
fourth son of Noorhachu. In 1640 a revolt occurred in China, headed
by Li Tseching, who four years later captured Peking. Tsongching,
seeing that his cause was lost, committed suicide. Taitsong, who had
died in 1643, was succeeded by his son Chuntche; the latter, after
the fall of the rebel Li Tseching, became the first emperor of the
Manchu dynasty in China, and established his capital in Peking.

[46] This noted relic was dug up in the Chinese city of Singanfu, in
1625. It is a stone slab, containing various inscriptions in Chinese
and Syriac; it was erected in the year 781, and is a monument of the
early existence of the Nestorian church in China. See Yule's account
of it in his _Cathay_, i, pp. xci-xcvi, clxxxi-clxxxiii.

[47] Evidently referring to the Manchu chief Noorhachu, who from 1591
had harassed the northern frontiers of China; he died at Mukden in
September, 1626.

[48] Nicholas Longobardi was born in 1566 at Caltagarone, Sicily,
and admitted into the Society in 1580 (Sotwell says that he entered
his novitiate in 1582, at the age of seventeen). He became a teacher
in humanities and rhetoric. In 1596 he went to China, and settled in
the province of Kiang-si, where