8.  To the eighth question, he testified that his answer was the same as the one given to the previous questions, and that it is the truth according to the oath he took.  He acknowledged it with his signature, and declared that he was more than thirty-five years old, and competent to be a witness.

Fernando Munoz de Poyatos

Before me: 

Gaspar de Azevo

[Here follow depositions, in answer to the same questions, from six other witnesses, all agreeing in the main with the facts as presented in the questions and in the deposition of Captain Poyatos, given above.  The other witnesses are:  Bastian Jorge Moxar, a Portuguese, Ensign Christobal Flores, Notary Alonso de Torres, Captain Juan de Argumedo, Captain Pedro Sarmiento, and Joan Sordo.]

[Bastian Jorge Moxar, besides what is contained in the foregoing, testified that the Portuguese feared any Spanish trade in the Indian country, and that the use of Spanish ships in the trade would bring great distress to the Portuguese.]

[Notary Alonso de Torres alleged that he had bought goods from the Portuguese in Manila for from sixty to sixty-five per cent above their cost price; and the Portuguese captains had told him that they could make twice as much on their investments with a trip to Manila as to any other port of the Indias, and with a shorter voyage.  He was told by his intimate friend Francisco Sobrino, of Goa, that the said Sobrino came to Manila in eighty-eight with two thousand odd pesos in Chinese goods, and left a year later with eleven thousand three hundred pesos.  On the ship sent by the governor, certain citizens of Manila had placed funds amounting to more than one hundred and twenty thousand pesos, the witness himself entrusting four thousand pesos to the said Francisco Sobrino, all which money was seized by the governor of Macan.  He further states that he himself is one of the heaviest losers by this act.]

[Captain Juan de Argumedo reported the following conversation:] To the third question the witness testified, as before, that he was in Macan, and knows that the Portuguese are not injured but greatly benefited.  While the witness was speaking with the chief captain of the said city, and the mandarin of the Chinese, the latter said:  “Let the Spaniards come here and trade; for the inhabitants of your country do not come to trade with the Chinese, as the Portuguese do.”  The witness answered:  “We are hindered by the Portuguese, who do not wish us to come.”  Thereupon the mandarin became much vexed, and addressing the chief captain of the Portuguese, said loudly:  “How is this, does not the land which you hold belong to the king of China?  The Portuguese have nothing to do in the matter;” and then, addressing the witness, through an interpreter who was there, he said:  “Look you, Castilian, from now on come here and carry on your trade, and have nothing to do with the Portuguese; for we will give you all you need, as well as a passport.”  This witness then answered and said:  “Sir, it would be better to assign the Spaniards a small piece of land near Canton, upon which to settle.”