With this letter I send your Majesty the declaration of a notary
who was prisoner among the Dutch, and a document written to me by
a father of the Society, which came together day before yesterday
from Terrenate; and also two copies of letters from Lucas de Vergara
Gaviria, governor of those forts, and from the king of Tidore, which
were received a few days before. Will your Majesty have them examined,
for they contain the latest news from Maluco.
The two vessels that are being despatched to Nueva Espana are now
able to set sail, and will do so (God willing), when the weather is
favorable. They go well equipped for the voyage, and the lading well
adjusted--more so than has yet been usual here. They carry excellent
crews, artillery, sufficient arms, and good rigging, and a great
quantity of that, in order to spare your Majesty the expense that
is incurred in Nueva Espana--where each quintal [of rigging] costs,
delivered in Acapulco, about fifty pesos; while here it costs only
one-tenth as much. As great preparation has been made in the candles
for the lanterns, [31] and other things, for the same purpose of
lessening the expense. And, while discussing this matter, I cannot
refrain from again petitioning your Majesty, in order to fulfil
my obligations and my desire for your royal service, to order that
the clerks and the treasury employees that I have requested for this
place be sent to me; for they are very necessary in order to aid more
efficiently the service of your Majesty, whose Catholic person may
our Lord preserve, as is necessary to Christendom.
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