The commander determined to return to Manila, for their drinking-water was gone, and the galleon “San Miguel” was leaking badly, and they were unable to overcome the leak at the pumps, while the galleon of Pedro de Heredia arrived at the mouth of the bay in very bad condition.  Next day two other galleons belonging to the enemy, which had not been present during the battle, reached the place where it had been fought.  They had a Japanese prize-ship, laden with flour.  Ignorant of the past event, they spied the “San Marcos” coming.  One of them went to reconnoiter the latter, and upon seeing that it was our vessel went to advise its companion.  Both bore down upon our vessel, whereupon it turned its course to the shore.  For reasons known to its commander—­and I think because he was mainly influenced by cowardly advisers—­the ship was run aground and burned, so near the enemy that the latter flung at them innumerable insults.  The largest galleon of the fleet, next to the flagship, was lost.  It had thirty-six large pieces of artillery, most of which have been taken out of it.  The commander was arrested, as well as his associates Captains Pedro de Ermura and Salvador de Onate.  The most notable thing is that that galleon was lost on the very day of St. Mark, by whose intercession Don Juan de Silva had obtained the last victory.

Don Juan Ronquillo heard of the disaster of Don Juan de la Vega, and set out in pursuit of the enemy.  He was unable, however, to overtake them, for a Dutch lad aboard the “San Marcos” escaped by swimming and went to the enemy, to whom he related what was happening.  Thereupon the Dutch returned to Japon, laden with spoils.

Some have doubted whether the enemy had ten galleons, since only six fought, besides the two above mentioned, [and ask] what became of them.  I answer that doubt by saying that one fled on the day of battle, and refused to fight, for which reason its captain was hanged at Maluco.  The Dutch commander sent the other vessel back with the wounded and some sick men, as soon as the engagement with Don Diego de Quinones had happened, chiefly because that galleon was leaking badly.

Captain Molina carried a carved image of our Lady in the galleon “Nuestra Senora de Guadalupe.”  It was kept in a little wooden tabernacle.  An eighteen-libra ball entered one of the ports, struck the tabernacle of the image, and knocked it into a thousand splinters.  I saw the latter and the ball with my own eyes.  But the image remained on its base, and not a hair of it was touched, which was obviously a miracle.

Pedro de Heredia was carrying another picture of our Lady, painted on a board beside a crucifix, on the galleon “San Bautista.”  Another ball of twelve libras entered and struck it on the breast, without doing it other harm than that the gold with which the drapery had been made stuck to the ball, which fell there at her feet, while the board was unbroken.  I certify to that, for I saw it.