dren, in the towns of Gavi, Cotcot, Diluan, Denao, and Mandavi—for the sole reason, and no other, as I understand, that they had been at peace with us, and had supplied and sold us provisions for our money. All this cannot be denied, inasmuch as we have seen it all with our own eyes. This may well be called deeds, and not words; and he has answered with a war of incredible cruelty. And in view of this, it is not surprising that we should have taken or that we do take some precautions, since he has made war so openly, and now tries to do us so open violence and injury. As far as the pleasing of God and of our rulers is concerned, it is of very little service, or none at all, to say that we should go to his fleet; for this cannot be done without violating his majesty's orders, to which I shall not expose myself. Moreover, all possible justifications have been offered on my side for not departing from this land and leaving it free; and, if necessary, I now offer them again. And it has no bearing on the subject to say that I have been here four years and desire to remain four years more; for my intention and desire has not been, nor is, to remain here even one year, but to depart as soon as I receive despatches and ships from his majesty—which, at latest, will be here with the next northeast wind. And as for his saying that only the patache "San Juan" and one ship can reach me, that is all nonsense; for his majesty, if he desire, can send one, six, ten, or twenty ships from Nueva España, for they have them In the South Sea there. And, what is more, I offer to depart with those that come, whether they be few or many, this being the easiest, shortest, and quickest remedy for what his grace says he wishes and desires—namely,
