lain. His
Lordship reassured them, and offered to send a force of soldiers
who should protect and defend them from the insolent acts of the
blacks. In order to obtain further security, his Lordship ordered
that the [Sangley] ship-captains be summoned and that a bell be rung
to assemble them, in order to provide for the guard and defense of
the Parian. When they saw the captains enter the city, they regarded
the arguments of their fear as confirmed; and the entire Parian
turned out to watch what was done, all being doubtful of their
own courage. Finally, thirty Sangleys from those who were uneasy,
seeing the last captain enter, ran toward the gate to detain him
and laid hands upon him when he was near the portcullis--either to
obtain by this service means to ingratiate themselves with Cot-sen,
or to secure a person who at all events could direct them. The men
stationed at the gate, who saw the haste with which they approached,
seized their arms and shot down some of the Sangleys. The guard on
the walls suspected them of greater designs; and from the bulwark of
San Gabriel Sargento-mayor Martin Sanchez, without the order that he
should have had for this, fired two cannon. At the noise of the shots
the people in the Parian, who were in suspense waiting to see how this
tragedy would end, without further delay raised an outcry; and having
heard that all Manila was coming to attack them flung themselves into
the river--those who could, in bancas; most of them held up by some
piece of bamboo. Others, more alarmed, took to swimming, and as they
were confused by fear, went down the current, and many of them were
drowned. The multitude of bancas hurried to a champan which was about
to depart, which lay outside the bar with only two soldiers to guard
it; and the Sangleys going aboard it hoisted sail. The [rest of the]
crowd crossed to Santa Cruz where they halted; they talked with the
father minister of that village (who was minister to the Chinese),
Father Francisco Mesina, and gave him an account of their flight,
saying that they feared that our people intended to cut off their
heads. The father calmed them and offered to obtain for them pardon
from his Lordship, for which purpose he immediately set out. The
merchants and peaceable people in the Parian, some 1,500 in number,
remained in their houses--in hiding, so that it seemed as if there was
not a soul in the Parian--awaiting their doom. Considering that in
the hills they wou