itted with artillery to go out against the enemy's
fleet, he went with the two vessels, which were the flagship and
almiranta, to the island of Mariveles, eight leagues from the point of
Cavite and five leagues from where the enemy were--without awaiting
the other third ship which lay at Cavite, and belonged to several
Portuguese, which arrived at the said island of Marbeles the same night
when Doctor Morga sailed away. Having sighted the enemy on Thursday
morning, without waiting for Captain Joan de Alcega, who was in the
other ship, as admiral, or taking advice as to what should be done,
he was confident of the victory on account of the report which had
been made concerning the few troops which the enemy carried, and the
large number that he himself had on board with him. Consequently the
flukes of the anchors were put upon the side of the ship; and having
come up with and grappled the enemy at the sixth hour, the latter,
seeing the force which the flagship had, gave up, and put himself
with all his men under cover, without firing a single arquebus for
more than an hour by the clock. Some of the soldiers and sailors from
our ship, having entered theirs without orders (for the said Doctor
was not able to give the order), and having found the deck of the
enemy's ship without men and all the troops withdrawn--the banners
being captured, and cast over to our ships--when the enemy saw how
little care was given to the taking possession, since the troops were
coming aboard without orders or any plan, they began to recover their
courage somewhat, and commenced to defend themselves. When they had
killed one or two of ours, as the latter had no one to command or
direct them--because the said Doctor, as soon as they came in to
close quarters with the enemy, had thrown himself down behind the
capstan of the ship with a number of mattresses--the troops became so
demoralized that no one was able to accomplish anything. Although some
of them went up to the said Doctor and told him to board the ship,
or to send troops on board of it with an order, he would not do so,
as he was so overcome by fright and lacking in courage. Likewise,
when they came to tell him that the ship was taking in much water
through the gun-ports, because, when the fleeing troops left the
side where they were grappled, and passed to the other side without
fighting, the said ship careened and the water entered--although
he was told of this several times, that he m