ng
to preach the gospel as our Lord Jesus Christ commanded; and if any
one, be he even an angel from heaven, were of a different opinion,
may your Majesty consider him an agent of the devil, who tries to
convince people that the gospel of Jesus Christ is to be preached
with zeal and not with knowledge, with violence and force of arms,
like the alcoran of Mahoma. This is a principle which may God remove
from the minds of all Christian princes, and from all men who are well
acquainted with the law of God and evangelical truth. I am confident
that, when your Majesty learns the truth, you will not allow anything
to be done contrary to the will of God.

Now I shall speak of the Sangleys, of whom there would be much to
say had I not in the past given to your Majesty an account of many
things concerning them. Therefore I shall be brief, in order not to
make this account longer than is necessary.

When I arrived in this land, I found that in a village called
Tondo--which is not far from this city, there being a river
between--lived many Sangleys; of whom some were Christians, but
the larger part infidels. In this city were also some shops kept
by Sangleys, who lived here in order to sell the goods which they
kept here from year to year. These Sangleys were scattered among
the Spaniards, with no specific place assigned to them, until Don
Gongalo Ronquillo allotted them a place to live in, and to be used
as a silk-market (which is called here _Parian_), of four large
buildings. Here, many shops were opened, commerce increased, and more
Sangleys came to this city. Anxious for the conversion of this people,
I soon cast my eyes upon them, and took precautions that they be well
treated, for in that way they would become attached to our religion--as
I was aware that this was your Majesty's desire. Considering that,
wherever Spaniards are to be found, there will always be some unruly
ones, who, forgetting the good example which they ought to give
these infidels, ill-treat them at times, I began on this account to
protect and to assist the Chinese, reproaching those who maltreated
them. I took care to have their grievances removed so as to give them
freedom to attend to their mercantile interests, and to sell their
goods. In this there has been very much abuse in this city by those
who were under obligation to furnish a remedy for it. For this reason
the Sangleys began to have much love for me, for they are the most
grateful people I