For until his death, the enemy did not
resolve to display the audaciousness that they have since shown here,
nor even to conduct their commerce, except with great caution. If
I could construct another fleet like it, I would imitate him; but
he impoverished the wealth of these loyal vassals of your Majesty,
the Spaniards, and of the wretched natives, to such an extent that
many are now in the most dire need. Besides, the royal treasury is
deep in debt, so that nothing can be extracted from it or from them,
which may be worth considering in the present needs. This and the
lack of iron and other materials oblige me to reduce the building
force for five ships, that, I found, had been ordered to be built,
to three, so that I should not run out of the necessary materials,
and all of them be left unfinished. Then, in case that I have enough,
those men could also build the other two. Besides, that is also
important in order that those ships which are to sail to Nueva Espana
in the coming year may be finished and equipped promptly. I would be
very glad were that work further advanced, in order to hasten work
on one ship that can be of help to me, equipping it, together with
the flagship and another ship of your Majesty that is here, so that
I may oppose the enemy, whom we are expecting, with three galleys,
which can be manned by availing myself of borrowed slaves. However,
according to the news received from the king of Tidore and from Yndia,
there are eighteen ships which they say are being prepared in one place
to come here, and fourteen in another.
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