with the papers referring to the above mentioned matter. [In the margin:  “The matters contained in this clause are the concern of the Junta, and have been examined there.”  “Examined; the Junta is taking care to send reenforcements; and let him be careful to maintain what he has there in so good condition as may serve for whatever occasion may arise there, as is expected from him.  Have a letter written to the viceroy of Nueva Espana, telling him to send all the best part of the troops which he can, considering that the governor writes that in past years so few troops have gone there that he is now almost without any in the service; and accordingly he should decree that it be such which he sends.  Advise Don Alonso of what is written to the viceroy of Nueva Espana.”]

The reason for there being so few troops is, that after the year one thousand six hundred and sixteen, when a ship called the “Angel de la Guarda” came, in the following year, sixteen hundred and seventeen, there came no reenforcements of infantry, but only a patache called the “Sant Geronimo,” with the archbishop Don Fray Miguel Garcia, and a number of friars; and in that year there died in the engagement which Don Juan Ronquillo had with the enemy, and were drowned in the six galleons, more Spaniards than I brought in the year one thousand six hundred and eighteen.  Since my arrival I have sent almost four hundred soldiers to Terrenate, and this number has not come in the two reenforcements from Nueva Espana which arrived in the past years of nineteen and twenty.  Then besides these—­and a number who have left with good cause and permission (although these are few), and others who have managed to flee without permission, and others who have turned friars—­there are so many who have died in the hospital and outside of it, that it may be said that all the soldiers in the country are found in this jurisdiction [of Manila.].  I have wished to give your Majesty an account of this so that it might be fully understood, and that you may learn the truth of it; and that you may know how great is the lack of men here, as I say.  That of vessels is not so great as some people here say, who know nothing of this matter, or who desire to build them, on account of the money which they usually obtain from this work, or which is paid to them—­without considering the loss to the natives, or whether the work is necessary or not. [In the margin:  “Examined.”]

The enemy having seen that the equipment of the vessels which he saw in Cavite was making progress, and not having separated his vessels, or despatched them to get booty—­on account, moreover, of the warnings that I gave in various parts of this archipelago whence vessels came to this place, and particularly at Macan and several ports of China—­thus far, thanks be to God, he has taken nothing more than five Sangley ships from that country.  One of these disappeared with the guard which he had placed on it, and they have not been able to find it again, and