was not yet completely undeceived. Now that I am, it would
be a very serious matter if I did not try to undo the deception. As
at that time I wrote to your Majesty what I felt, under an erroneous
impression, I shall write what I feel, now that I am fully undeceived;
for one ought always to present the entire and naked truth, with no
confusing elements, to all men, and much more to your Majesty.

Before reaching these islands, I heard that no foreigner could without
danger of death set foot in the kingdom of China unless he received
special permission from those having that kingdom in charge; and that
the native who took a foreigner into the land without permission would
be executed, and the foreigner sent to prison for life. When I reached
these islands, I first interviewed some Portuguese who came here,
and I heard them declare and affirm the same thing which I had heard
before. Since I had that impression at my coming, I easily believed
what the Portuguese told me, and persuaded myself that it was true that
no foreigner could enter China without risk of losing his life. For
a long time I have had the conversion of that kingdom at heart, and
with that thought I came to these islands. One of the reasons which
made me accept this bishopric was the fact that these islands were
very near China, and that many Chinese had come to live here. Being
grieved over the thought that by not allowing foreigners to set foot
in that land the preaching of the gospel there might be hindered, I
drew up a report signed by many Portuguese witnesses from Macan and
Yndia who were here. In this report, which I sent to your Majesty,
I gave evidence that the rulers of China, who are styled "mandarins,"
allowed no one to enter the kingdom without their permission; and that
for this purpose they kept large fleets to guard the coast, and to kill
or arrest all who land there. Relying upon the information given me by
the Portuguese, I wrote to your Majesty, asserting that it would be
justifiable for your Majesty to send your fleet to that kingdom, and
in case the preachers were denied entrance, to open a way by force,
and make the Chinese receive them--it being understood that this
opposition was from the mandarins alone, and that the common people
offered no resistance and would receive them well. While all those in
the islands, including myself, held this view, it pleased our Lord to
reveal this deception and to deliver us from this error. It so ha