or that Omoncon himself should come. Moreover, the governor promised
to provide the latter immediately with everything necessary for the
voyage without any lack whatever. Omoncon was very grateful for this
offer, and in payment therefor promised the governor that he would
take with him to China the fathers that his Excellency should send,
and a few soldiers, if the latter wished to accompany them. He was
confident in the good news he carried, by virtue of which he hoped
that he would run no risk by doing this, and that the viceroy of
Aucheo would not take it ill; for he had learned and heard from
the Augustinian fathers, that his Excellency, and the governor's
predecessor in office, Adelantado Miguel Lopez de Legaspi, had desired
many times to send some religious to the Chinese kingdom, to engage
in the preaching of the gospel, and to study the affairs of that
kingdom. They had, however, never been able to attain their desire,
because of the unwillingness of the Chinese merchants trading at that
port to take anyone--although whatever sum they should ask would have
been given them--as they feared the punishment that would be inflicted
upon them, according to the law of the kingdom. For security that no
ill-treatment would be showed to these men, he offered to leave pledges
to their satisfaction. The governor was very glad at this offer,
for this was what he and all the inhabitants of the islands had been
eagerly desiring for a long time. Therefore he accepted it immediately,
telling Omoncon that he absolved him from his promise and pledges, for
he was quite well satisfied as to his worthiness, and that he would
commit no act unbecoming his person or office. The governor, very
joyful over this news, at once summoned the Augustinian provincial,
Fray Alonso de Alvarado, [27] who had been elected to this office
but a few days previously. The latter was a man of very holy life,
and one of those despatched by the emperor, our master, in search of
Nueva Guinea. The governor informed him of the offer of the captain