oned, and ordered the latter to
remove the scaffolding of the walls, and double the guards in all the
posts. It was afterwards learned how important the arrangement that
has been practiced had been, for it was discovered when the deserved
punishment was meted out to the insurgents that the surprise of the
city was to have been attempted on the night following that day, but
that they had not succeeded because what was to have served them as
a ladder had been removed.

36. The Sangleys seeing the destruction of their designs, resolved,
at the beginning of the year 1662, to arm suddenly one day, with
the weapons which came first to hand, and to take the city openly,
for they trusted too much to their valor. There is a gate in the
city called the gate of the Parian, which gives on the Sangley
settlement, and innumerable numbers of that nation enter the city
through it hourly. They would find it easy if some of them were to
make themselves masters of this gate, for the others to enter the
city armed. By a special Providence of God, as brother Fray Diego
de Santa Ana, one of our religious lay-brothers, went to adjust an
account with a certain Sangley, on the morning of the day on which
they had resolved to make the attack, he observed that the Chinese
were in great disorder, and he even heard some words indicative of
arrogance, and that they were premeditating some sedition. The brother
understood the Chinese language somewhat, and having conceived the
said suspicion, he went about the Parian carefully and joined in
conversation cunningly with several Sangley acquaintances. By that
means originated the confirmation of his fears. He advised a captain of
everything, who took him into the presence of the governor so that he
might inform the latter. Upon receiving that information, the guards
of the gates and of the walls were doubled without any confusion,
and most opportune orders were given secretly for the artillerymen
and soldiers to be prepared to resist any attack.

37. Scarce six o'clock could have struck, when the Sangleys advanced
to the gate of the city in a confused mass, with such violence that
doubtless they would have gained it, had our men not been so prepared
for its defense. With the regular discharge of the artillery, and
with the muskets of the guards, many of them were killed. At that
misfortune the others retired as furiously as they had begun the
attack. But honoring our discalced religious greatly the go