Page:The Philippine Islands, 1493-1803 (Volume 07).djvu/59

 Englishman. He escaped at the mouth of the channel of these islands, and I have kept him here with me. His declarations accompany this letter.

The first time when this galleon "Sancta Ana" sailed from here, I sent by her some artillery removed from your Majesty's forts, in order to provide greater security. In Nueva España the artillery was taken out, and the ship returned without it. I thought that if I sent more on the ships, and it were taken out over there, the forts here would be in need, while the ships would gain nothing. Understanding that there was no danger from corsairs on the voyage, I sent the ships, as usual, without artillery. Now that I have seen the need for artillery, and the risk that they run, if it is not carried, I am sending two ships this year, each with four heavy pieces of artillery, two falcon guns, and arquebuses and other arms carried by the sailors and passengers. I am collecting what metal I can find and making thereof some pieces of ordnance with which to fill the place of those sent from the said forts. The merchants are paying your Majesty the value of the artillery, arms, and ammunition carried by one of the ships, and I have loaned the price of those of the other. They will pay this also in the coming year, and the ships will sail armed at the account and cost of the merchants. I beseech your Majesty to command the viceroy of Nueva España to have the artillery and arms returned by the same ships; and that the pieces carried by the "Sancta Ana" be returned to these forts, which greatly need them.

In another letter I have written to your Majesty about the general fire in this city. The powder and military supplies were burned and the artillery de-