were committed by our galleons without their orders, and to take
them as a beginning and part of the reparation; and that, so long
as the Japanese did not give satisfaction for the aforesaid wrongs,
the lord governor ought not to order any reparation to be given;
for the right to take reparation, when the party owes it and does
not give it, is plain. In the present case, it is certain that his
Majesty could with justice order the said loss, and even greater,
to be inflicted upon the Japanese, in retaliation for the injuries
committed on the faith and these islands. And since he did not order
it, but it is done, he has an undisputed faculty and right to avail
himself of the wrongs committed. Thus it appears that there is no
doubt that his Majesty's officials are not bound in conscience to
make reparation to those of Japon until his Majesty is advised of
the case, so that we may see whether he wishes to avail himself of,
or to have these islands avail themselves of, his right. In regard
to the mention of the injury that may follow to the inhabitants of
Macan if reparation be not made immediately, as yet we do not know
that the latter have shipped anything; and even if they had, Macan,
in order not to break with Japon, would have to pay the value of this
junk, since that is an incident not reckoned on by Manila, but one
which this city rather tried to obviate by all the means which were
readily feasible, such as giving liberty to the prisoners, sending an
embassy and messages of apology to the Japanese, and pledging immediate
reparation for the injury done to their property, if they would open
trade and make peace with these islands. So long as they do not do
this his Lordship appears to be fulfilling the demands of conscience
by informing his Majesty of what is happening, so that as sovereign
of both states [i.e., Manila and Macan], he may order what is to his
royal service. This is their opinion, and the said father Diego de
Bobadilla said that the opinion does not state anything as to who ought