soldiers of the
country offered to go with him, as it was an expedition of so great
justice and honor. The governor was urgent in ordering that no others
than Don Tomas and his company should go. But he could not help it,
and accordingly the following persons went on the expedition.

[Here follows a list of the principal officers who accompanied the
governor's nephew. They contained such names as Captain Juan de la
Isla, Captain Villafana, Captain Cebrian de Madrid, and Pedro de
Benavides, besides a number of citizens who are unnamed.]

They came in sight of the enemy on this day, Saturday, and having
joined Don Luys de las Marinas in Tondo and General Juan de Alcega,
they attacked the enemy. The latter were in three squadrons, of forty
companies of one hundred and eighty men apiece; and most of them
were ambushed with their colonel. Our men were not dismayed one whit
by this; on the contrary, they were animated by their justice in the
matter and by Spanish spirit. They made so furious an attack that they
forced the enemy to retire very quickly. Eager for victory, our men
went pressing on after them, so that, when they saw the trickery of the
enemy's retreat and wished to do the same, they were unable to--on the
one hand, because they had entered a swamp, and were up to their knees
in the bog; and on the other, because the enemy had surrounded them,
and they were unable to use their arquebuses and other weapons. Thus
they were all killed with clubs and cutlasses, and only four escaped,
who had retreated when they saw the multitude of the enemy. This event
was indeed one of lamentation and grief, and news of it immediately
spread all over the country, whereat great grief was felt. However, the
truth was not known with certainty for a week, in accordance with the
governor's command, in order not to cause so great pain suddenly. The
enemy sought shelter in their camp, whither they took the heads of
our men strung on some bejucos. The three principal ones--namely,
those of good Don Luis de las Marinas, General Juan de Alcega, and
Captain Don Tomas--were placed above the gates of their camp, and
they made great merriment, while waiting the night. Then they took
the heads of the others, and carried them to the Parian, opposite
the city. There many revolted with them, but more than one thousand
eight hundred Sangleys remained in the Parian--mostly merchants and
mechanics--who cautiously wished to be on their guard, in order