ing decided to do so on account of
the accounts and news which I receive, and which your Majesty will
already have learned--of all which I now send another copy with
this. [_In the margin_: "Examined."]

The news of the confederation of the Dutch and the English proved
to be correct; and on the second of February they arrived on these
coasts, with nine ships of war--seven large and two of moderate
size, five of them being Dutch and four English--with the number of
a thousand to twelve hundred men of both nations, exclusive of the
servants and Japanese; they carried between forty and forty-four
pieces of artillery, in each of the large ships, and the others
each according to its capacity. It has been learned that this is
true from the depositions of two prisoners, and from Chinese who
were in their ships; from Japanese who, while coming from their land
with provisions and supplies for this country, passed by the enemy,
saw them, and entered their vessels; and likewise from the advices
which I have received from Japon.

This matter found me well advanced in the preparation, because I had
so anticipated the news that, although they entered the bay and port
at Cavite with their fleet, they did not dare--as I had caused to be
made several trenches with stockades, and bastions with batteries of
artillery, which appeared to me sufficient; and had placed sufficient
artillery in the two vessels which were fit to receive it--to resolve
to do anything against either the ships or the land; and when they
found out that these defenses were there, and had seen them, they
went out of the bay with all their boats. Having come back to it a
few days later, and seen that the preparation of the capitana and
almiranta galleons was in good condition; and that we had also a
moderate-sized ship, another smaller, two galleys, and another on
which the work was more backward (which are the vessels that can
be made ready), they went out again--going now along the coast,
and now in the mouth of this bay, without separating or dividing the
fleet so as to be out of sight of one another. If they had done this
without guarding against encounters, I would have engaged him with
the capitana and almiranta galleons, which are the ships that could
be manned, although with difficulty on account of the few men whom I
have here; for I had to leave the maimed and sick, and some as guard
for the gates of the city, which takes as many as are necessary for
all t