Shortly after the ships had left Manila for Nueva Espana, and those despatched thence by the viceroy had entered, Archbishop Don Fray Miguel de Benavides died of a long illness.  His body was buried amid the universal devotion and grief of the city. [20] At this same time, Don Pedro de Acuna received three letters, by the ships that continued to come from China that year, with the merchandise and with their principal captains.  They were all of the same tenor—­when translated into Castilian—­from the Tuton and Haytao, and from the inspector-general of the province of Chincheo, and were on the matter of the insurrection of the Sangleys and their punishment.  They were as follows: 

[This letter occupies folios 113b-115a of the original edition of Morga.  We have already presented that document in our V0L.  XIII, p. 287, which is translated from a copy of the original manuscript.  The answer of Acuna to this letter will be found in V0L.  XIV, in the second document of that volume.]

The letter of the inspector-general was written on the twelfth of the second month—­which according to our reckoning is March of the twenty-third year of the reign of Vandel [i.e., Wanleh].  The eunuch’s [21] letter was written on the sixteenth of the said month and year; and that of the viceroy, on the twenty-second of the month.

The governor answered these letters through the same messengers, civilly and authoritatively.  He gave an explanation of the deed and justified the Spaniards, and offered friendship and trade anew with the Chinese.  He said that their property, which had remained in Manila, would be restored to the owners, and that those imprisoned in the galleys would be freed in due season.  First, however, he intended to use them for the Maluco expedition, which he was undertaking.

The entrances into various provinces of Japon by the discalced religious of St. Francis and those of St. Dominic and St. Augustine, continued to be made, both in the Castilian vessel itself which was despatched that year to the kingdoms of Quanto, [22] and in other Japanese vessels which came to Manila with the silver and flour of the Japanese, in order to trade.  This was permitted and allowed by Daifu, now called Cubosama, who that year sent the governor, through one of his servants, certain weapons and presents, in return for others which the governor had sent him.  He answered the latter’s letter as follows: 

    Letter from Daifusama, lord of Japon, to governor Don Pedro
    de Acuna, in the year one thousand six hundred and five.

I received two letters from your Lordship, and all the gifts and presents mentioned in the memorandum.  Among them, when I received them, the wine made from grapes pleased me greatly.  During former years, your Lordship requested permission for six vessels, and last year for four, and I always granted your request.  But, what angers me greatly is that among the four vessels that your Lordship