compliance with this they will be allowed to stay for this purpose,
without the said number being exceeded. March 22, 1607. This measure
is in the letters of the governor."]



Letters from Pedro de Acuña to Felipe III


Sire:

On the twenty-fifth of February of the current year, 1605, there
arrived in the port of Cabite a ship from Nueva Hespaña, and in
it Brother Gaspar Gomez of the Society of Jesus, with news of the
decision which had been reached regarding the matter of Maluco;
the order for this military service also came. There were, besides,
in the said vessel about two hundred infantry, in two companies,
of those who are to go on the expedition. Their arrival was very
seasonable and caused much rejoicing in these islands, because it
occurred at a time when we had received news by way of Macan that an
army was being prepared in China to come here. [4]

The diligence shown by the viceroy of Nueva Hespaña in despatching
these advices, and informing me of the condition of the embarcations
there, was of great value in assisting me to prepare some necessary
supplies; for nearly everything has to be obtained from different
provinces, while some supplies must be imported from distant kingdoms,
as China and Japon. Hence time is requisite for this purpose--and,
indeed, even more than we have; but all will be made ready although
with some difficulty.