When the Sangleys left here last year they brought but little cloth,
as I wrote at the time to your Majesty. This they sold, at the same
time offering to come again this year with some vessels, and very
early. For this cause the country remained entirely without any
sort of merchandise, although the citizens had considerable money,
as they had no opportunity to invest the returns which had come [from
Mexico]. Since the Chinese are very avaricious, it was regarded as
certain that some vessels would come without fail, and the swift ones
would arrive here much earlier than they ordinarily do in other years:
but this did not happen, for it was the end of May before we had any
news from China. For this reason and on account of the news which
we received from Macan (as I wrote previously) that the Sangleys
were coming to these islands to avenge those who died at the time of
the revolt, the city was in great anxiety and fear. Yet it pleased
God that eighteen vessels should come with a large amount of cloth,
which relieved us of our fear; and it now seems that this arrangement
had been agreed upon. However, demands had been made upon me on the
part of the Chinese for the Sangleys who survived the uprising, whom
I had placed in the galleys. The viceroy of Ucheo and an inspector and
eunuch, who are two other mandarins who keep constant watch over him,
sent me a letter, which will go with this; to this letter I refer,
as also to a copy of the answer which I have made, with the approval
of the Audiencia. The style is not very polished, because those who
translate it are not very skilful in both languages; and, in order
that they may understand it, it is better that the letter should be
written in these terms, as experience has showed. We are striving to
maintain our friendship with that king, since he is very powerful;
and we sustain our position here only by the reputation that we
have. [_Marginal note_: "This statement of his has been noted."]