business is delayed, by the rehearings [of cases] that proceed from the
tie-votes [of the auditors]. Thus they accept the salaries for their
posts without serving them, so far as their judicature is concerned,
which is a wrong that urgently needs remedy, for the litigants. [_In
the margin_: "Seen."] The Dutch enemy came to this coast with a fleet
of three large vessels and two small ones, while your Majesty had at
the port of Cavite two galleons of very heavy burden, three of five
hundred or six hundred toneladas of the northern sea, one patache of
more than two hundred and fifty toneladas, and two galleys, together
with many good soldiers and sailors and a goodly abundance of heavy
artillery. Within forty days or thereabout, they were all ready to
sail, and in charge of the master-of-camp, Don Geronimo de Silba. He
encountered the enemy, but did not fight, after an expense in preparing
that fleet, of many more ducados than the condition of the treasury
could warrant; I found the treasury pledged to about one hundred and
ten thousand pesos, while the infantry and substitutes were loaded with
vouchers against it, because of the lack of reënforcements for more
than a year back. The matter is so serious that the captain-general,
Don Geronimo de Ssilva, having been arrested, by the Audiencia, and
deposed from his office, appealed the cause to me, and I do not dare
write more minutely concerning it, because of the short time. The
verbal process is made, and, the said Don Geronimo's deposition
having been taken, both he and the commanders of the other ships
will be prosecuted. All claim that they will be cleared; each one
throwing the burden of guilt on the other. When the matter assumes
a proper condition I shall remit an account of it to your Majesty,
so that you may take the measures advisable. [_In the margin_: "File."]

Under pretext of the arrest and removal of Don Geronimo de Silva,
Licentiate Legaspi, not heeding the second nomination from the