fleet were coming ashore. The said governor ordered
the master-of-camp, Martin de Goiti, to go to see
what was wanted. The said Portuguese—immediately,
and before the expiration of the time-limit set by
the said captain-general, and without waiting for any
response to be given—those of the said
galleys and
fustas, began to batter down the
said gabions with a great number of guns; and they
continued this almost until sunset. Nevertheless,
the said governor ordered that no one should discharge
any artillery at them from his camp; on the contrary,
he reproved an artilleryman who, without his permission,
discharged one gun. While the said Portuguese
were demolishing the said gabions, the said governor
sent the said answer to the said captain-general,
complaining that he was commencing and making unjust
war, against all reason and without the said governor
having given any occasion for it. Not only did
the Portuguese not relax at all but sent part of his
galleys and fustas to blockade the other entrance to
this harbor, which lies toward the east, so that nothing
can enter or leave this camp. The governor declared
that the said Portuguese have said and published that
through famine they will seize and carry us away prisoners,
by force. In order that the manner in which the
said captain-general and his men commenced to make
war—and they began it, as is related hereafter—may
be manifest both now and in the future, he said that
he asked me, the said notary, as he did, to certify
these facts to all the aforesaid in public form, in
such wise that witness may be had for the protection
of the rights of his Majesty, and of himself in the
king’s royal name. All those who were present
he ordered to witness it, and signed it with his name.
I, the said Fernando Riquel, chief notary aforesaid
certify to whomsoever shall see this present, or copies
of it drawn up in public form, that on yesterday,
Wednesday in the morning, the twentieth of this said
month, I, having gone by the order of his lordship
the said governor to the flagship where the said captain-general
Gonzalo de Pereira was, to take him a certain answer
to a requisition sent by the said captain-general
to the said governor, the said captain-general sent
an oral message through me, the said notary, and the
factor, Andres de Mirandaola, to the said governor,
to the effect that, if on the evening of that day
the gabions on the river of Cubu were not ordered
to be demolished, he would consider war declared.
With this message we came from the said ship.
Almost at high noon, and after dinner, I, being in
the said governor’s room, despatching certain
messages which the said governor had to send to the
said captain-general, we heard a heavy fire of artillery.
It was reported to the said governor that the Portuguese,
in fustas and galleys, were attacking and firing
upon the river of Cubu, where there were certain works
and soldiers from this camp. The said governor
ordered that no artillery should be fired from this