for the
said Chinese to be condemned to the galleys. This is questionable,
in the first place, because they are not vassals of his Majesty,
and therefore were not traitors; and likewise whether they should, on
account of the hostilities which the Chinese were generally committing,
immediately be condemned, without recourse, to the galleys, without
being heard individually or their exceptions being received--especially
as no one doubts that the said uprising and rebellion was not voluntary
on the part of all the Chinese, but was contrary to the will of many;
and it may be that some, and even a considerable number, of those who
are on the galleys were not captured in war, but while hidden in the
country districts and on the mountains. To say that the said Chinese
are necessary to work the galleys which your governor must take on
a certain expedition, which it is said he must make, does not affect
the proposition; for the said expedition is not made by the will of
his Majesty, but in his very exact instructions he neither requires
nor permits the said expedition to Huaca [_sic; sc._ Maluco] with the
said Chinese. Moreover, they are so cunning and shrewd that perhaps
they will again do what they did to Gomez Perez, and even worse; and
they may be the cause not only of the disastrous ending of the said
expedition, but even of our complete ruin. There can be no doubt from
the relation sent, as to the attitude of the king of China; for the
three greatest magistrates whom he has in the province and dominion
of Oquen (to which belongs the province of Chiencho)--that is, the
viceroy, the inspector-general and the eunuch--write this, each one
of them, in two letters, one of which is for the said archbishop and
the other for the said governor of these islands.

In view of these considerations, I entreat and beseech your Highness
to command that the said property [of the merchants] be immediately
sent to the said kingdom of China, either by suitable messengers,
or by the Chinese captains who are at present about to go there. The
most certain and the first which should be sent would be that which
comes into the royal treasury of his Majesty from the proceeds of
the said goods of the said Chinese, even if it be necessary to ask
for this a loan from the citizens of this country, or to economize,
or to go without other things. As for giving their liberty to the
said Chinese who are in the galleys I beseech your Highness to order
that