ain was to be commander of the whole fleet this first
year, and the next a Dutchman, and so on alternately in succeeding
years. This is their plan, which meanwhile is to redound to our injury,
since they intend to make themselves masters of the Philipinas, the
Malucas Islands, India, and the whole of this archipelago. There is
cause for alarm when they bring one hundred and ten ships into these
seas without any means of resistance on our part.

These pirates were fitting out an armada in great haste in Japan. The
report was current that they were going to attack Macan, while
others said that they were coming to the Philipinas, of which we
had information. The people at Macan were also warned that trip
English and Dutch allies were coming to attack them, whereupon
they set about providing supplies, and dug some trenches, which the
Chinese quickly dismantled, fearing lest that fortification was made
against themselves; for they have never consented to wall the city,
cast artillery, or make other preparations for war. The Portuguese,
seeing themselves ill-prepared for defense, decided to send out a
ship with Father Geronimo Rodriguez of the Society of Jesus, who had
been rector in the college at Macan, to ask our lord governor for some
heavy guns for their defense. He arrived at Manila toward the end of
December. He explained his errand, and the lord governor gave him six
pieces of artillery--one thirty-pounder, three twenty-five pounders,
and two eighteen-pounders--together with a good ship to convey them
there. It was sent away on the last of January. When they sailed out
of the bay they caught sight of the enemy's fleet, which was headed
for these islands. One of the enemy's ships followed it, but seeing
that they could not overtake it they retired; and our ship continued
its voyage, and in a short time arrived at Macan.

The assistance which went this year to Maluco, arrived within sight
of our forts, where three Dutch ships were waiting to seize it or
cut off their passage; but the captain of one of the largest of
our ships approached the enemy to keep him busy fighting, while the
reenforcements entered under the fire of our artillery. He fought
for three hours, at the end of which time, having seen our ships in
safety, he squared away and left the enemy tricked, because he had
a very fast vessel.

We had some trouble with the Tidorans, who have been our friends and
the enemies of the Dutch; whereupon they poisoned