The mandarin, after a little hesitation replied:  “If you will come to Canton with me, I shall obtain a chapa—­a passport used there—­from the viceroy, and shall see to it that the Spaniards make a settlement in good time.”  As this witness had no order to that effect, and was busy with his own affairs, he did not go to Canton, or pursue the matter further.  Considering what he has seen, he believes that the Chinese desire the trade of the Spaniards; that, if the latter went there, a place would be given them for a settlement; and, if the trade were once established, he thought it certain that the holy gospel could be communicated to the Chinese, whence would follow much good to the service of God and of his Majesty.  He knows this because it was in the same manner that the gospel was introduced into the realms of Xapon by the Theatin friars, who went there with the merchants.  This is his answer.

[Captain Pedro Sarmiento testified that the Chinese desire commerce with the Spaniards; for when the witness was there, by order of Governor Guido de Lavezaris, the said Chinese assigned the Spaniards a definite site on the mainland for settlement and a trading-place.  Joan Sordo testified that he believed the Chinese would welcome the Spaniards, and quoted a Sangley as saying to him:  “Castilians, when will the day come for your entry into China? for these mandarins oppress us so that we long for the day.”]

Petition of Diego Hernandez Vitoria

In the city of Manila, on the twenty-first day of June, one thousand five hundred and ninety-one, Diego Hernandez Vitoria, a regidor of this city, appeared before me, the notary, and before the undersigned witnesses, in his capacity of attorney-general, and declared that he would give, as he in fact did give, the power which he holds from the cabildo and regidors of this city, to Melchor de Vaeca, attorney at law; and that he would approve and ratify all the pleas which the said Melchor de Vaeca might make in this suit in the name of the said city, and as attorney of the same.  He signed his name in the presence of the witnesses, Hernando Diaz, Miguel de Solarte, and Adrian Perez.

Diego Hernandez Vitoria

Before me: 

Gaspar de Azevo

I, Diego Hernandez Vitoria, citizen and regidor of this city and attorney-general of the same, declare that, in order to show by the above investigation the little harm which the Portuguese suffer from our going to Macan, I need a copy from the government books, of the decrees which Pedro Brito took to Macan.  Therefore, I beg and beseech your Lordship to order that the said copy be given me.  I offer this plea.

Diego Hernandez Vitoria

On the seventeenth of July, one thousand five hundred and ninety-one, in the city of Manila, the person mentioned in the petition presented it to Gomez Perez Dasmarinas, governor and captain-general for the king, our lord, in these islands; and his Lordship ordered that the copy which he asks be given him, attested in the form prescribed.