Page:The Philippine Islands, 1493-1803 (Volume 09).pdf/169

This page has been proofread, but needs to be validated.
1593–1597]
EXPEDITION TO CAMBOJA
163

enemy, as well as the enemy of Christianity and of the Spanish nation, and with whom he was in a state of open warfare. He preferred to avail himself of aid from the Christians rather than from the heathens or Moros who dwelt in the neighborhood, if he could do so. He gave entire credit to what we had told him, and what we were then telling him. He confirmed by deed the love which he had shown to all of us Spaniards, and decided to send an embassy to the governor of these islands, seeking aid for the conflict in which he feared he would soon find himself. This embassy he entrusted to me and to Captain Gregorio de Vargas, placing more confidence in us than in any of his own subjects. The said Blas Rruiz he kept in his service to satisfy the wishes of some of his own subjects, who, because they do not like him, opposed the voyage and the embassies. He wrote to the said governor a letter, written on a leaf of beaten gold, and sent as a present an elephant, slaves, and other articles, as appears by the said embassy, to which I refer you. This embassy we carried out, on arriving at this city, delivering the letter and the presents, and were engaged in it many days, beseeching the last governor to send the king some aid, in order to redeem him from the utter ruin which afterward happened. As this country was on the point of sending an expedition to Maluco, the governor deferred the aid. After your Lordship succeeded to the government, you despatched me and gave me an answer for the said king, sending him a Castilian horse with trappings, and a rich jewel of emeralds. When I arrived at the said kingdom of Canvoja I sent a soldier named Pantaleon Carnero to give the news to the king, and to take measures to learn the state in