d it is
without doubt so, that he has spent three millions [of pesos] of your
Majesty's royal incomes from these regions, and of the funds brought
from Nueva Espana, during three years. That is a very great pity here,
for it is to be presumed that he has spent a great portion of that sum
in paying due-bills bought at one-third and less [their face value],
as I have said above. The employees of the accountancy have assured
me that five hundred thousand pesos were paid in that way last year,
and that fact is very well known. It is also known that the due-bills
outstanding have been exhausted, so that now they are being sought
very anxiously in the same districts, but cannot be found.

Although we generally have six or seven months' sure notice from
Xapon before the coming of the enemy, that they are going to come, the
governor makes no preparation, small or large, nor does he build any
vessels, but allows the time to pass as if he had no such warning. When
the enemy arrive at the coast, the governor, without any intention
of going to meet them--as is known publicly and generally, and is
known by the results, as he has already spent the money--lays hands
on the inhabitants and mainly by force gets a loan of one hundred
thousand pesos from them, or what he thinks best, and has the ships
in the port repaired. Those vessels often do not exceed three, and he
spends on them a vast sum of ducados, even loading them with food and
war-supplies of all that is needed. He troubles the soldiers in making
them go and come to and from Cavite, and even making them embark. He
says with show of great courage that he is going out, although he
is told that such a thing is impossible with the ships that he has,
for the enemy have many. Having spent all the money and exhausted the
miserable inhabitants whom he has thus burdened, he calls a council
at this juncture, and asks whether it is advisable to go out. Since
the enemy are so superior they cannot tell him to go out, and in
addition they see little gain in it; accordingly it is resolved that
it is not advisable to go out. Your Majesty's royal treasury thus
remains depleted, and the enemy are left to pillage the vessels that
they seize from those who come to this city, especially those from
China. It is even asserted, although I do not know whether it is true,
that he makes underhanded efforts in the midst of all these braveries,
by the hands of certain persons who are masters of his secret