Omoncon sets out with news of the pirate Limahon’s extremity, taking with him to China the Augustinian fathers.  Chapter X.

On Sunday morning, June twelfth, in the year of our Lord one thousand five hundred and seventy-five, the aforesaid governor and all the citizens assembled to go in a body to the monastery of St. Augustine.  Here a most solemn mass of the Holy Spirit was said.  At its conclusion and after all had entreated God to direct that voyage for the honor and glory of his divine Majesty, and for the salvation of the souls of that great kingdom, which Lucifer had so long possessed, Omoncon and Sinsay took leave of the governor, and of the others, thanking them for the kind treatment and the presents that they had received.  In return for this, Omoncon promised to remain their loyal friend for all time, as they would see by his deeds, and to take with him those whom he had of his own volition requested, and accepted with the security of himself; and said that he would suffer death rather than that any harm should come upon those in his charge.  The governor and the others returned thanks for this new offer, giving Omoncon to understand that they had the utmost confidence in his promises.  With this they took leave of him, and at the same time of the religious and their two soldier companions, at which parting tears were not lacking on either side.

They all embarked immediately on a ship belonging to the islands, one which had been prepared for this purpose; and left the port, accompanied by another Chinese merchantman, which was at Manila.  In this ship Sinsay embarked with all the ship supplies, in order to take them to the port of Buliano, where Omoncon’s large ship was stationed, and in which the voyage was to be made.  This vessel, as we have said above, had put into port because of the stormy weather.  They arrived at the said port on the following Sunday, for the weather had proved exceedingly contrary, and they lost sight of the said vessel that was in their company and carried the provisions.  They found this ship anchored at the port, for, because of its deeper draught, it had sailed better and faster.  They found in it, likewise, two Spanish soldiers, whom the master-of-camp had sent from Pangasinan (for he had seen, from that place, the aforesaid ship enter the port), with the order that the fathers should proceed thither.  This order made the religious and soldiers fearful least the master-of-camp should try to detain them until the end of the siege of the fort should be seen (which was expected daily), in order that they might carry the pirate Limahon with them, dead or alive.  Consequently, it was almost unanimously decided not to obey the order, and not to discontinue the prosecution of their voyage, so much desired by all, when each hour seemed a year; and as they feared lest something might prove an obstacle or hindrance to their purpose.  But coming to a better conclusion, inasmuch as they were mindful