Page:The Philippine Islands, 1493-1803 (Volume 08).djvu/187

 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."