Don Juan Nino de Tavora, who, having been gentleman of the bed chamber
to the archduke Alberto, and cavalry captain in the States of Flandes,
is at present master-of-camp of Spanish infantry there. With his
services and capacity there is entire satisfaction. He is the son
of Don Gabriel Nino, formerly chief master-of-camp of the king our
sovereign who is in glory.

General Don Juan de Venavides, of the habit of San Tiago, is the son
of the marquis of Jaralquinto. He has been in the service for the past
twenty-two years, seven of them with additional pay under the marquis
of Santa Cruz in the galleys of the kingdom of Portugal, and thirteen
years with the pay of thirty reals [_sc._ ducados?] per month in the
trade-route to the Yndias. He made five voyages, in that of 610 going
as captain of one of the infantry companies of the trading-fleet of
Tierra Firme. That same year, the flagship of the galleons having
been lost at the departure from Buen Aire, he, having escaped naked,
stayed to rescue the men of the ship; and having done this, took them
in a patache to Cartagena. In the year 613 he went as admiral of the
trading-fleet of Nueva España. On the return trip some ships of the
fleet were lost in a storm. He was carrying in his ship more than one
million [pesos] of silver belonging to your Majesty and to private
persons. The masts and the rudder were snapped in twain; the ship
began to leak at the bow; and yet he repaired it and anchored in the
port of San Lucar without having thrown anything overboard. In 615
he again filled the same office of admiral, and, the flagship from
Honduras having been wrecked, he saved many of its crew. In 617 he
was recommended as commander of the trading-fleet of Nueva España,
and was granted the office of its admiral. Finally, he was twice
proposed as commander of the Filipinas fleet. On January 13, 620,