Without galleys it could not be defended, and
consequently he was forced to man them with those slaves, since other
rowers were lacking. These slaves were not to be chained in the galley,
or treated as convicts; but would receive so great kindness that they
themselves would prefer that treatment to that of their owners, whom
they already had as fathers and fathers-in-law. These arguments,
and the pressing need for defense, silenced all objections. But
they did not silence report, for already it was known that he had
come from Espana, pledged to the king, his ministers, relatives, and
backers, to the Ternate undertaking; and, although he concealed it,
unknown authors divulged it. Yet some tried to persuade him not to
entrust the defense of Filipinas to the Chinese or Sangleys, for no
bond, natural or civil, had ever bound or attracted them to any love
for the islands. They bade him remember the recent example of what
those people did on an occasion on which they were employed by his
predecessor, and to be on his guard against them.
Pages:
269
270
271
272
273
274
275
276
277
278
279
280
281
282
283
284
285
286
287
288
289
290
291
292
293