this enemy caused the anxiety which was the reason--inasmuch as we
had heard for a long time that he was coming; and that he would wait
to seize the Chinese and Japanese ships, and prevent their entrance
into the city with food--that, in order to frustrate those designs, I,
with the advice of the Audiencia and the council of war, resolved to
prepare seven galleons and to equip them as thoroughly as possible, so
that they could go out to fight that enemy. When about to set this plan
afoot, obstacles began to arise, because there was not a single real
in the royal treasury, on account of the non-arrival of the ships from
Nueva Espana; and because the country was in great need, and had no
income except that collected from the licenses of the Sangleys. These
were collected with great effort and difficulty, but the sum was all
spent in a few days in the repair of these galleons. When there was
nothing more to use, the ship expected from Nueva Espana arrived. It
had put in at Japon, and brought more than eight hundred thousand
pesos for the royal treasury and for the citizens. It was regarded
as a great mercy of God that He should help this afflicted land in
such necessity and extremity, and that He should keep this ship from
falling into the hands of that enemy. After this the repairs and
preparations of this fleet proceeded with great energy, and although
innumerable obstacles continued to arise because the wood, rigging,
rice, and other things necessary had to be conveyed by long detours,
all difficulties were conquered by God's help. To Him recourse was
always had, through all the religious orders and the religious,
so that His [Divine] Majesty should be pleased to aid this [our]
cause against those rebels to His church and sacrament, and to your
Majesty, and disturbers of the common peace. These joyous causes
furnished ecclesiastical and secular motive to request me, with loud
and frequent acclamations of joy, to hasten as quickly as possible the
preparation of this fleet. Notwithstanding that it was detained, they
said that it could go out; for they were assured that, since we had
so large galleons, that enemy would not dare to await it, and that the
flagship and almiranta were alone sufficient to drive away that enemy
and prevent the damages that were expected so close at hand. They said
that the preparations that were intended to be made would be useless,
for, when they were finished, then the enemy would have already g