Philipinas, ordering him to
build and collect immediately a squadron of ships, to cruise in that
sea, about the point of Manila, to make sure thereby that the Dutch
do not rob the ships and other vessels which go to those islands from
Nueva Espana, China, and other regions._

The King: To Don Juan de Silva, knight of the Order of Santiago, my
governor and captain-general of the Philipinas Islands, and president
of my royal Audiencia there. By letters from you and other persons
zealous in my service, I have learned that the king of Japon has
admitted the Dutch to commerce with his realms, for their having
offered to carry him a great quantity of silk, which is the chief
commodity in which they deal there; and because those rebels had robbed
the Chinese, from whose ports they procure the silks, they dare not
go to that kingdom for them. Accordingly, to keep the terms of their
offer, and not lose that trade, it will be necessary for them to await
the vessels of the Chinese near that city of Manila, which are going
there with silk, in order to rob them of it. And not only will they
do this damage, but they may also do the same with the ships which
go to Nueva Espana, and other vessels from Malaca and Macan. It has
been represented to me that, both in order to avoid this danger to my
ships and my vassals, and likewise for the importance of keeping the
said Dutch from fulfilling their offer to that king--for if they do
not do it he will drive them out of his lands, where it is important
[for us] that they should not secure a foothold--it would be well to
have a squadron cruise close to the port of that city [of Manila];
and to secure this result, it will not be necessary to have large
ships. I have thought it best to approve this; and, considering that
when you receive this you will already have made the expeditions of
which you wrote me in the letter of the fifth of September of six
hundred and ten, if you have good success in them, with the help of
our Lord, I command you that, with the ships that may remain to you of
the fleet which you were engaged in collecting, you will keep those
necessary for a squadron sufficient to cruise in that sea, and with
it will attend to the matters above mentioned. And if there are not
enough ships by using these, you will make and build, with all possible
despatch, what may appear to you expedient for this purpose; and will
inform me, at the first opportunity, of the number and kind of ship