The Philippine Islands, 1493-1898 — Volume 13 of 55 eBook

This eBook from the Gutenberg Project consists of approximately 301 pages of information about The Philippine Islands, 1493-1898 — Volume 13 of 55.

The Philippine Islands, 1493-1898 — Volume 13 of 55 eBook

This eBook from the Gutenberg Project consists of approximately 301 pages of information about The Philippine Islands, 1493-1898 — Volume 13 of 55.
that they should carry word to the inhabitants of Luzon not to give credit to a deceitful and lying set of Chinese, He also commanded the two Sangleys who had piloted the English to be immediately executed.  As for the other things that we had written to him he declared that our will should be done.  Immediately, after having received this document, we—­the viceroy, the eunuch, and I—­sent these documents to the governor of Luzon, that his Lordship might know the greatness of the king of China and of his realm (for they are so great that he governs everything upon which the moon and the sun shine), and likewise that the governor of Luzon may know the great justice with which this vast realm is governed.  It is long since anyone has dared to give offense to this kingdom; and although the Japonese have endeavored to disturb Corea, which is under the government of China, they have been unable to succeed therewith, and have been driven from the said kingdom, and Corea has remained in great peace and quiet, as the peoale of Luzon know well from what has been told them. [At the beginning of this paragraph, and on the margin:  “They knew that the English are our friends.”]

Last year, after we learned that, as a result of the deceit of Tiognen, so many Chinese had been put to death in Luzon, many mandarins assembled to agree upon urging the king to take vengeance for all these deaths.  We said that the land of Luzon was a wretched land of little importance, of old inhabited only by devils and snakes; and that, as a result of the immigration there a few years ago of so many Sangleys to trade with the Castilians, the country has been enriched to the extent to which the said Sangleys have labored therein.  They have built the walls, and made houses and gardens, and other things of great advantage to the Castilians.  Nevertheless, the Castilians had no consideration for these things, and have felt no gratitude for these good works, but have 60 cruelly slain all those people.  Although we wrote this statement two or three times to the king, he replied to us that, although he was grieved by what had happened, there were three reasons why we should not avenge ourselves or make war upon Luzon.  The first was that the Castilians had long been friends of the Chinese in this region; the second is that it was uncertain who would be victorious, Chinese or Castilians; and the third and last reason, that the people slain by the Castilians were a base people, ungrateful to China, their native country, to their parents, and to their relatives, since so many years had passed during which they had not returned to China.  The king said that he did not consider these people of any value, for the aforesaid reasons; and he merely commanded the viceroy, the eunuch, and me to write this letter sent by this ambassador, that the people of Luzon may know that the king of China has great kindness, great patience, and great pity, since he has not commanded them to make war against the people of Luzon. 

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The Philippine Islands, 1493-1898 — Volume 13 of 55 from Project Gutenberg. Public domain.