viceroy, the inspector-general and the eunuch--write this, each one
of them, in two letters, one of which is for the said archbishop and
the other for the said governor of these islands.

In view of these considerations, I entreat and beseech your Highness
to command that the said property [of the merchants] be immediately
sent to the said kingdom of China, either by suitable messengers,
or by the Chinese captains who are at present about to go there. The
most certain and the first which should be sent would be that which
comes into the royal treasury of his Majesty from the proceeds of
the said goods of the said Chinese, even if it be necessary to ask
for this a loan from the citizens of this country, or to economize,
or to go without other things. As for giving their liberty to the
said Chinese who are in the galleys I beseech your Highness to order
that this be decided and examined into in great detail, especially
as concerns justice; it should also be examined to ascertain the
rights of the state. For this purpose, both in this affair and in
other things which are presented before his Majesty's Council, some
one who has great experience in Chinese affairs should be associated
with them, and say what he thinks. The archbishop demands justice,
and an attestation of this petition, and of what may be decreed in
this matter, and of the entire proceedings; and that the decision
may be made at once, so that these Chinese ships may convey the
appropriate answer. As for our reputation, nothing will be lost by
sending back the said Chinese, especially those who are not found
to be very guilty; for no one loses reputation by doing justice, and
the king of China and his ministers know very well that the decision
of justice, and the separation of the innocent from the guilty, in
so grave a case has demanded all the time which has elapsed up to
the present. Finally his Majesty the king, our sovereign, [must be