atants for service. Of
this it seemed proper to advise your Lordship, so that if the
commander should be in need of any assistance you may give orders to
provide it at his request--in order that his Majesty's purpose may
be more thoroughly accomplished, and that the great sum expended
for this fleet may not be lost. I feel assured that there will be
no failure on your Lordship's part; on the contrary, I look forward
without question to the entire success of the undertaking, with your
assistance and favor. I trust that his Majesty will regard himself as
having received better service from what your Lordship may do in this
matter than by the much that I have done in this state; and in behalf
of his Majesty's service I am under obligations to your Lordship. Our
Lord guard, etc. (Written on May 5, 1601; received October 1, 1602.)

Decision of a Council of War at Manila to Send Aid to the Maluco Fleet

At Manila, on the first day of September, one thousand six hundred
and two, there were present at the royal buildings in the said city
Don Pedro de Acuna, knight of the Order of San Juan, commander of
Salamanca, and president, governor, and captain-general of these
islands; Doctor Antonio de Morga and the licentiate Tellez de
Almacan, auditors of the said Audiencia; the commandant of the camp,
Agustin de Arzeo; Don Juan Ronquillo, commander of the galleys;
the sargento-mayor, Captain Christoval Azcueta; Captain Juan de
Bustamante, adjutant; the quartermaster, Francisco de las Misas;
the treasurer, Ventura de Santillana; Don Bernardo de Sande, warden
of the fort at the Point; Captain Gomez de Machuca, Captain Francisco
de Mercado, Captain Gaspar Perez, and Captain Esteuan de Prado. The
said president announced and declared that by letters received from
the Portuguese viceroy of Yndia and from Andres Hurtado de Mendoca,
and by the report of Captain Antonio de Brito Fogaca, and of Father
Andres Pereyra of the Society of Jesus, who brought the letters, he
had been informed that the said Andres Hurtado had come by order of
his Majesty to get control of the Malucas Islands, which the kings
thereof had usurped, and of other islands after the Hollanders had
gained possession of them. For this purpose he had already proceeded
with a large fleet to Amboyno, where the said Andres Hurtado had
already subdued that island and placed it under obedience to his
Majesty. Thence he had despatched the aforesaid persons to report
to the said r