Among the enemy's flags were two that contained characters in the
Sangley language, which, translated into our Castilian vernacular,
read as follows:

"The leader and general of the kingdom of España ... [23] so that
all the Chinese take part together in this affair and obey us by
destroying root and branch these hostile robbers, whom we have against
our will, both Castilians and Japanese. We the Sangleys swear that
after the conquest of this city we shall share the lands, even to
the very herbs, with equal shares, as brothers." That which gave the
traitor Bautistilla more courage in undertaking so great a treason
was a stratagem and subtilty which he employed to know those on his
side. This was to order each Sangley to bring a needle and deliver
it into his hand. This they did, and he put the needles in a little
box. He thus ascertained that twenty-two thousand one hundred and
fifty Sangley Indians could gather in Manila on the last of November,
the day of St. Andrew, patron of this country. He had determined and
ordered that the insurrection be made on that day both in this city and
in the other districts of these islands. But upon seeing the governor
raising the wall and taking other precautions, because of the many
rumors about the mandarins (who had departed to their own country,
and which the governor did not believe), the traitor determined to
make the attempt on the day of St. Francis, since our Lord permitted
it thus for our welfare. Blessed be He forever! Amen!

On the tenth of December, Captain Marcos de la Cueva left this city
as ambassador to the kingdom of China, accompanied by one hundred
and forty Spaniards and two friars, in order to inform the eunuch
who is the viceroy at Canton of the above events. Many thought