Before reaching these islands, I heard that no foreigner could without danger of death set foot in the kingdom of China unless he received special permission from those having that kingdom in charge; and that the native who took a foreigner into the land without permission would be executed, and the foreigner sent to prison for life.  When I reached these islands, I first interviewed some Portuguese who came here, and I heard them declare and affirm the same thing which I had heard before.  Since I had that impression at my coming, I easily believed what the Portuguese told me, and persuaded myself that it was true that no foreigner could enter China without risk of losing his life.  For a long time I have had the conversion of that kingdom at heart, and with that thought I came to these islands.  One of the reasons which made me accept this bishopric was the fact that these islands were very near China, and that many Chinese had come to live here.  Being grieved over the thought that by not allowing foreigners to set foot in that land the preaching of the gospel there might be hindered, I drew up a report signed by many Portuguese witnesses from Macan and Yndia who were here.  In this report, which I sent to your Majesty, I gave evidence that the rulers of China, who are styled “mandarins,” allowed no one to enter the kingdom without their permission; and that for this purpose they kept large fleets to guard the coast, and to kill or arrest all who land there.  Relying upon the information given me by the Portuguese, I wrote to your Majesty, asserting that it would be justifiable for your Majesty to send your fleet to that kingdom, and in case the preachers were denied entrance, to open a way by force, and make the Chinese receive them—­it being understood that this opposition was from the mandarins alone, and that the common people offered no resistance and would receive them well.  While all those in the islands, including myself, held this view, it pleased our Lord to reveal this deception and to deliver us from this error.  It so happened that a ship left these islands for Mexico, and reached the coast of China in distress.  At first the crew were somewhat ill-treated by the soldiers who guard the coast, because the latter had taken them for thieves or spies; but as soon as they were brought before the mandarin governor and it was learned that they had set out from the Lugones, as they call these islands, the governor treated them well, gave orders to return what the soldiers had taken from them, and punished those who had taken it.  They sent the Spaniards in peace to Macan, whence they came to this city.  The captain of the ship is living here at the present day, as well as two Augustinians who were on board; and they have told me all that happened to them.