[A document of this same collection ("Papeles de los Jesuitas"), with pressmark “Tomo 169 numero 2,” is identical with the above relation, except for slight verbal differences which do not change the sense in any way.  But at the end occurs the following additional letter:]

Letter of Father Sebastian de Morais

Since the letters carried by the little ship from India are lost, the following was learned from another letter.  On the octave of Espiritu Santo, a sudden attack was made from Fayal Island to Tercera Island, as a little ship from India, called “San Felipe,” was making port there.  That ship left Cochin December 22, 1629, and reached Fayal seven days after Pentecost.  There it was met by an English ship which mounted twenty-four pieces, many carrying balls of sixteen libras.  It had sixty musketeers, while our ship had only thirty white men and twenty Indians, and mounted fourteen small pieces of artillery.  However we cut down the yard of the pirate’s foremast with the first volley.  They fought one day and night.  They killed our master and two sailors, and our men killed the enemy’s captain and many of their men, while the ship was so hardly used that it would have sunk but for the calking.  Our ship bore down upon it; but another pirate, of heavier burden, appeared within range.  Consequently, our ship retired to Fayal, where some ships from the island of Terceras went to get it.  They cast anchor at that point with great rejoicing, our ship being quite like a sieve because of the balls that remained sticking in its sides and upper works.  Even that image of our patron saint, St. Philip, had in it eighteen balls.  The ship carries three thousand five hundred quintals of pepper for the king, and a quantity of merchandise.  The ships of General Roque Senteno were going for it [as convoy].

A fleet of forty sail had gone to Socotra against the enemy, with volunteer forces, who were encouraged by the sight of a crucifix which the enemy had insulted on a certain occasion.  We had a glorious victory over many galleys of the [king] of Achen, although our craft were very inferior.

BIBLIOGRAPHICAL DATA

Most of the documents in this volume are obtained from MSS. in the Archivo general de Indias, Sevilla; their pressmarks are indicated thus: 

1. Report of Spanish Council.—­“Simancas—­Secular; Audiencia de Filipinas; consultas originales correspondientes a dicha Audiencia; anos 1586 a 1636; est 67, caj. 6, leg. 1.”

2. Letter from Serrano, 1625.—­“Simancas—­Eclesiastico; Audiencia de Filipinas; cartas y expedientes dei arzobispo de Manila vistos en el Consejo; anos 1579 a 1679; est. 68, caj. 1, leg. 32.”

3. Letter from Fernando de Silva, 1625.—­“Simancas-Secular; Audiencia de Filipinas; cartas y espedientes del gobernador de Filipinas vistos en el Consejo; anos 1600 a 1628; est. 67, caj. 6, leg. 7.”