With this letter I send your Majesty the declaration of a notary who was prisoner among the Dutch, and a document written to me by a father of the Society, which came together day before yesterday from Terrenate; and also two copies of letters from Lucas de Vergara Gaviria, governor of those forts, and from the king of Tidore, which were received a few days before. Will your Majesty have them examined, for they contain the latest news from Maluco. The two vessels that are being despatched to Nueva Espana are now able to set sail, and will do so (God willing), when the weather is favorable. They go well equipped for the voyage, and the lading well adjusted--more so than has yet been usual here. They carry excellent crews, artillery, sufficient arms, and good rigging, and a great quantity of that, in order to spare your Majesty the expense that is incurred in Nueva Espana--where each quintal [of rigging] costs, delivered in Acapulco, about fifty pesos; while here it costs only one-tenth as much. As great preparation has been made in the candles for the lanterns, [31] and other things, for the same purpose of lessening the expense. And, while discussing this matter, I cannot refrain from again petitioning your Majesty, in order to fulfil my obligations and my desire for your royal service, to order that the clerks and the treasury employees that I have requested for this place be sent to me; for they are very necessary in order to aid more efficiently the service of your Majesty, whose Catholic person may our Lord preserve, as is necessary to Christendom. In this port of Cavite, and bay of Manila, August 10, 1618. Already on this day (the above date) the ships are to leave this bay, because of the favorable weather that has come. All the pilots are of opinion that they will not be lost, and that our Lord will guide and convey them with all safety. It has seemed best to the Audiencia that a certain report be sent to your Majesty in this letter, of which it took charge, made against Don Hieronimo de Silva; consequently I am sending it in accordance with their opinion, since they are lawyers. Nevertheless, my opinion was that it should be suspended until the trial of the said Don Hieronimo, and the truth were known with certainty; and not to discredit him beforehand with depositions of certain persons, by whom he has been accused, without allowing him any opportunity to defend himself. _Don Alonso Faxardo de Tenca_ [Appended to the letter are the following letters on Moluccan affairs, mentioned by Fajardo.] _Letter from Manuel Ribeyra, S.J._