to those people, so capable of receiving it. With this object in
view, they began most carefully and studiously to learn the Chinese
language, which the above-mentioned provincial mastered in a short
time, making also of the same a grammar and dictionary. Besides this,
they gave many gifts and presents to the Chinese merchants, in order
to be conveyed to their country. They did many other things, which
are illustrative of their holy zeal--even to offering themselves as
slaves to the merchants, in order that, in this manner, they might
enter the country for the purpose of preaching. But all these efforts
were of no avail, until the divine will showed another and better
method, which will be related in the following chapter.



The sea-power of the pirate Limahon from the Kingdom of China, and
his defeat of Vintoquiam, a pirate from the same Kingdom. Chapter II.


The Spaniards were enjoying in peace and quiet their new settlement of
Manila, without apprehension of any accident that might disturb their
peace, and ignorant of any hostile treachery that might harm them; for
the islands were quite pacified, and submissive to the Catholic King
Felipe, our lord, and the trade with the Chinese was continuing. This
last seemed sufficient guarantee to ensure their present quiet; and
likewise, because they knew of the law among these people (as has been
related in the history) that prohibited them from warring with anyone
outside of their own kingdom. [24] They were enjoying this peace when
Limahon, a pirate from the kingdom of China--of pirates there is, as a
rule, no lack along this coast, both because of the dense population of
the kingdom, so that necessarily, vagabonds are by no means uncommon;