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
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,
gr