[8] The words in brackets throughout this letter are conjectural readings.

[9] Marginal note, apparently made to facilitate reference:  “That at the end of July, 1599, information was received through letters from the captains of the forces at Malaca and Maluco that at Sunda and Terrenate were a number of English ships, whose designs were not known; that help was asked for Maluco, but the request was not granted, it being impossible for this kingdom of the Phelippinas to do more; and that it is necessary that we be provided with troops, arms, and money from Nueva Espana, of all of which advices have been given the viceroy.”

[10] The letters here mentioned are found at the end of this document; they are all written in Portuguese.  They are not presented here, as all that is essential in them is contained in Tello’s letter.

[11] Marginal note:  “That the troops and artillery are to retire from the fort of La Caldera, and proceed to Cebu, as they are needed there; and the fort is burned.”

[12] Spanish, que van por el agua mas de una legua; apparently some word or phrase is missing.  Montero y Vidal (Hist. de la pirateria, i, p. 144) says that the fort of La Caldera was two and one-half kilometers (a little more than one and one-half miles) from Zamboanga.

[13] Marginal note:  “That information regarding the English has been given to the viceroy of Nueva Espana, in order that he may send reenforcements.”

[14] Marginal note:  “That the work of casting artillery is being continued.”

[15] The Strait of Sunda, which separates Java from Sumatra.

[16] This is followed by notarial attestations regarding the drawing and collation of the above copy of instructions from the original, at the order of Pedro de Acuna and Antonio de Morga, in 1602, and the certification as to the qualifications of the government notary, also dated in 1602.

[17] The ship ranking second in a fleet.

[18] Preceding this document, which is a copy and not the original, is a notarial declaration attesting that the present copy was made from the original by order of Antonio de Morga, for use in a suit brought by him against his admiral, Joan de Alcega, for deserting the flagship during the battle, which caused the loss of the flagship.  At the close of the instructions is the notarial attestation of Joan Paez de Sotomayor as to the correctness of the copy, under witness of Geronimo Xuarez and Joan de Aldave, and bearing date of August 27, 1602; and the further attestation by three notaries that Paez de Sotomayor is entitled to act as notary.

[19] Francis Drake; see mention of this voyage in Vol.  IV, p. 313.

[20] Thomas Candish; see Vol.  VII, p. 52.

[21] Oliver van Noordt; he was a native of Utrecht, and led this expedition in behalf of a commercial company which had been formed in 1598 by certain citizens of the United Provinces.  Although the main object of their enterprise was trade, the commission issued to Esaias de Lende (q.v., post) shows that the Dutch government gladly seized this opportunity to attack Spanish possessions in the Orient.  See the detailed account of Van Noordt’s voyage in Recueil des voiages ... des Indes Orientales (Amsterdam, MDCCXXV), ii. pp. 1-117.