the
war for the destruction of this enemy--so pernicious for the spread of
the gospel, and averse to natural law, for they were a very Sodom; and
with their intercourse with the natives, this cancer was spreading. It
is certain that if the Sangleys had had a concerted leadership, they
would have been masters of the city with little enough opposition;
for they could have entered as they usually did on their business,
and taken possession of the weapons of the citizens, which were all
left in the houses without being guarded, as the people lived without
fear or apprehension. The Sangleys are clever at all things, but the
Lord blinded them so that this might not come about. If your Majesty
should ask who is to blame in this so serious matter, we should say
that it is they that have not kept the decrees of your Majesty; for
your Majesty commanded years ago that no Sangleys should be left here
except those strictly necessary for the service of the city, [29]
and its cabildo has repeatedly petitioned that only three thousand
be allowed. This has not been complied with; but, on the contrary,
each year more and more have been allowed to stay, until the said
sixteen thousand have gathered here. Finding themselves so numerous,
they plotted the said treason. Your Majesty's decree providing
reformation for the future was the occasion for so many remaining;
for, as licenses in writing were given to those who remained and
paid the said license fees, this vicious profit was the cause for
this evil. In one of the past years I heard that these licenses had
cost sixty thousand pesos, which seemed to me almost incredible. This
year its possibility was demonstrated by an incident that happened to
me. There came to me several Sangleys recently arrived from China, and
besought me to procure licenses for them to remain in the country. I
told them that I would not do so; but within a few days they returned
and showed me the licenses that had been given them, for which five
tostons each had been exacted. When I recounted this occurrence to a
God-fearing person, he told me that there were licenses that cost as
high as seven and eight pesos, and others sold at five or six. For
the punishment of past acts, and in provision for the future, your
Majesty must send a rigorous inspection, in order that those who have
put the country and the faith in such danger may be punished. Your
Majesty should not trust the various papers that come from here,
for i