the one hand, he kept the men
there desperate, who could not go out to find food; and on the other,
gave them nothing. Therefore, many men fled through those surrounding
kingdoms. And, when he most needed sailors, more than two hundred of
them fled because of ill treatment and because they were deprived
of one-half their rations. He imposed many taxes upon the Indians,
with great oppression to them on account of the food that was ruined
because it was not needed so early. As a result, he brought the country
to the extreme of poverty, even worse than if the enemy had sacked it.

On the other hand he sent to Japon for metals with which to cast
artillery, and for saltpeter for powder; and they brought him what
he had sent to ask. In two years he cast one hundred and fifty
large pieces of artillery; but he had no master who understood it,
and consequently the pieces were so poorly made that none of them
stood the test. I saw twenty pieces out of thirty-six burst at the
first shot, as the gunner, one Pedro Castano, who is in this court,
will tell; consequently they did not dare to test the cannon with the
royal test. There was an excellent founder there, named Don Diego de
Prado, who had made considerable artillery in Lisboa. Silva refused to
accept him, but on the contrary let him go to Espana by way of India,
although he should have diligently looked for him. He is a friar here
now, named Basilio. They were unable to get a piece that could be
used, although they tried in various ways. They continued these efforts
until certain Japanese built some ovens, in their own fashion, and made
some bellows which forced in a great quantity of air. Those produced
better artillery, although some of these pieces also burst, for they
did not hit upon the alloy of copper in accordance with its quality.

Don Juan de Silva persisted in his intentions; and, seeing after two
years had passed that the master-of-camp Azqueta had not arrived,
and that it must be believed that he had been drowned, he sent a
father rector of the Society of Jesus, named Juan de Ribera, [41]
and Captain Don Diego de Miranda, a Portuguese, to Goa, so that,
in his name, they might ask the viceroy for the said galleons; and
they did so. Although with great objection and opposition from the
city of Goa, the viceroy gave them four galleons and four galliots,
with very few and badly disciplined crews. What took place in India
in regard to that matter is a pity. Your Maje