Contents

Document 1

Since foreigners are outside the sphere of civilization, there is no need for them to have any contact with our people other than business transactions, whenever they come to China for trade purposes…The following rules…are both simple and practical enough to be adopted. They are presented here for Your Majesty’s consideration.

(1) Foreigners should never be allowed to stay at Canton during the winter. …

Even if foreigners have to stay…[for]…business, they move from Canton to Macao after their ships have sailed for home. Lately many foreign traders…entrust their ships and cargoes to the care of other merchants who proceed home, while they themselves stay on in Canton. During their stay they devote themselves to the study of the prices of various goods in different provinces …

Canton, being the capital of a province, is too important a place to allow foreigners to stay there on a permanent basis, since permanent residence will enable them to spy on our activities…when a foreign trader arrives at Canton, the…merchants should sell all of his goods…pay him immediately… so that he can return home in the ship that he came in. …

(2) While in Canton, foreigners should be ordered to reside in…headquarters so that their conduct can be carefully observed and strictly regulated.

…these foreigners often become drunk and commit breaches of the peace…Their behavior in this regard is of course extremely improper…

Document 2

I have warned you…not to dally in those villages…but you continue to saunter, ignoring the fact that soldiers are running short of food. They are receiving their pay, but the money will not last…Then they will all depart, leaving us to pay with our lives, because you must have learned…that they came only for reasons of self-interest, and to get all they can out of us. They are already beginning to desert…

I must tell you this, though it pains me. If you want to ruin us, continue to sleep and commit such follies as that of passing alone through the streets of Yauri…actions certainly out of place at this [time], and that only dishonor you and gain you disrespect.

I believed that you were occupied day and night with arranging these affairs, instead of showing an unconcern that robs me of my life. I am already a shadow of myself and beside myself with anxiety, and so I beg you to get on with this business.

You made me a promise, but henceforth [from here onwards] I shall not heed your promises, for you did not keep your word. …

I gave you plenty of warnings to march immediately on Cuzco, but you took them all lightly, giving the Spaniards time to prepare as they have done, placing cannon on Picchu Mountain, and devising other measures so dangerous that you are no longer in a position to attack them. …

Document 3

We have raised all of you [warriors] on the land which we now have, which God gave us to inhabit and raise provisions. We know that our country [had] once been extensive, but by repeated sales has become…a small tract, and [we] never thought it our duty to interfere…till now…[we] beg of you not to part with any more of our lands. We say ours; you are descendants and [should] take pity…[and] keep it for our growing children, for it was the good will of our creator to place [us] here…Only keep your hands off of paper talks, for it is our own country, for if it was not they would not ask you to put your hands to paper, for it would be impossible to remove us all, for as soon as one child is raised, we have others in our arms, for such is our situation and will consider our circumstance.

…don’t part with any more of our lands, but continue on it and enlarge your farms and cultivate and raise corn and cotton, and we…will make clothing for you…

…Warriors to take pity and listen to the talks of your sisters, although I am very old, yet cannot but pity the situation in which you will hear of their minds. I have great many grandchildren which I wish they to do well on our land.

Document 4

Now I am going to explain the practice of the Shehu
For you to hear what was done in his time.
…
The Muslim community accepted his call everywhere,
Those of the east and west…
…
He said men should take up their bows and quivers
As well as swords…
…
The Shehu, by all including his relatives
Everyone resolved to support him
…
The Shehu fought five battles
At Gudu, all victories due to his blessedness.
…
Many of the reciters of the Qur’an were killed,
And also the students among his community.
…
Then Shehu travelled towards Zamfara,
They made peace with him because they feared him.
The places that resisted the jihad were all destroyed
While he was in Remuwa, he was victorious
…
The people of the East all arose with firm intention
Of helping the religious fight, Alwali ran off, defeated
…
The Shehu divided responsibility (for the territories): to the west to his brother;
The eastern part to Bello his son.
…
Victory was obtained at every quarter
The chief of Gwari was confronted at Illo
…
Then he passed on to the next world…
…
Then things became very difficult,
The community selected Bello, his son to succeed him.
…
Revolts became numerous even Abdulsalam
At Kware, rebelled, together with his people.
…
He was just and fair:
He brought order through the exhortation.
…
He built cities and fought battles,
So too he built mosques in his city.
…