that he ought not to go, for if the matter were learned there, and
war-vessels were to come, then the island would be supplied with men
to be able to receive them in the same manner; and if they came for
peace they would be received in peace. In the latter case they were
to be informed of the truth of the matter, to which the Christian law
binds us, and told that we did not intend to take their possessions,
or refuse to pay them what was owing them. Nevertheless, he went,
ordered to do the contrary by the Council. May God direct everything
for His holy service.

On the seventeenth of February of 604, the said ambassador, Marcos
de la Cueva, put back to port on account of a storm that struck him,
which caused his vessel to spring a leak. He was again sent out
in another and very good vessel with one hundred and fifty picked
soldiers, under the leadership of Captain Cueva, a very honorable
and brave soldier. He left on Thursday, the twenty-fifth of the said
month, in the ship "Santiaguillo," which was quite well equipped for
whatever should happen--a very necessary thing. He arrived at the
trading-post where there are Portuguese who trade with the Chinese,
and delivered his letters to them, in order that they might be given
to the eunuch. For the period while he stayed there, no reply was
received to the letters, but he was put off with words; whereupon,
growing impatient, he returned to Manila, leaving affairs in that
condition. With the vessels that came from China this year of 605
to this city, the eunuch sent three letters--one to the governor,
another to the Audiencia, and the third to the archbishop. All were
similar. The eunuch stated that he had received the letters taken by
the ambassador. The people who had been killed were very properly
killed, as they were an abandoned people. By the information that
he had received from some Sangleys he learned that many Sangleys had