very poor quality (most of which are very coarsely woven), some imitation brocades, fans, porcelain, writing desks, and decorated boxes; indeed, did I not have respect for more than the good government of this land, I would not permit a single one of these things to be brought into this kingdom.  To pay for these they carry away gold and silver, and they are so keen that they will accept nothing else.  I am told that they took away more than forty thousand ducats in gold and silver from the islands; and if this were not regulated, they would always have the best of it—­although, if the Spaniards who traffic there with them were business men, they themselves would reject the goods carried to them, and would try to ascertain what goods the Chinese have and their value, and arrange so that the exchange should be profitable.  I tell your Majesty of this because I shall write the general no more than that he must not permit Spaniards to carry on barter with gold that has not paid the tax.”

[78] In 1560 the Portuguese obtained the loan of a spot near the mouth of the Canton estuary, where they were permitted to establish a trading-post, which was named Macao.  Before many years elapsed, more than five hundred Portuguese merchants resorted thither annually to trade.  “By the regular payment of their rent (five hundred taels a year), as well as by a judicious system of bribing, the Portuguese long enjoyed the practical monopoly of the external trade of the great mart of Canton with the West.”  See D. C. Boulger’s History of China, ii, pp. 146, 169.

[79] The Chinese rulers here referred to are known in history by different names from those here given, even after making allowance for their pronunciation by Spaniards.  Moutsong, twelfth emperor of the Ming dynasty, died in 1572, and was succeeded by his son Chintsong, better known under the name Wanleh.  As this prince was then but six years old, his mother acted as regent during his minority.

[80] The Ultramar MS. (see Bibliographical Data at end of this volume) reads, “the river of Panaca to Cubo.”

[81] From this point this paragraph in the Ultramar MS. reads as follows:  “As justly as possible.  But although it was done thus, complaints were heard, because not so many natives were found as the list made by the person who had visited this district gave us to understand.  This list was so summary that it could not be true.  The encomenderos urged that the governor should make the number of each repartimiento equal to the list.  Therefore each encomendero received the number for which he petitioned.”

[82] The Ultramar MS. reads here:  “named Cebu, he set out for Prognal.”