ich are such strong inculcations
of continuing friendship with the Spaniards here, that he doubts he
shall be highly discanted on by some persons for granting commissions
against them; must beg his Grace to bring him off, or at least that the
necessity of this proceeding may be taken into serious debate and then
doubts not but true English judges will confirm what he has done." On
the other hand he writes to Arlington on 30th July 1667: "Had my
abilities suited so well with my wishes as the latter did with your
Lordship's, the privateers' attempts had been only practised on the
Dutch and French, and the Spaniards free of them, but I had no money to
pay them nor frigates to force them; the former they could not get from
our declared enemies, nothing could they expect but blows from them, and
(as they have often repeated to me) will that pay for new sails and
rigging?... (but) will, suitable to your Lordship's directions, as far
as I am able, restrain them from further acts of violence towards the
Spaniards, unless provoked by new insolences." Yet in the following
December the governor tells Albemarle that he has not altered his
posture, nor does he intend until further orders. It seems clear that
Arlington and Albemarle represented two opposite sets of opinion in the
Council.]

[Footnote 267: On 21st December 1671, Morgan in a deposition before the
Council of Jamaica gave his age as thirty-six years. (C.S.P. Colon.,
1669-74, No. 705.)]

[Footnote 268: C.S.P. Colon., 1661-68, No. 1838; Exquemelin, _ed._ 1684,
Part II., pp. 79-88. According to Exquemelin the first design of the
freebooters had been to cross the island of Cuba in its narrowest part
and fall upon Havana. But on receiving advice that the governor had
taken measures to defend and provision the city, they changed their
minds and marched to Puerto Principe.]

[Footnote 269: The city of Porto Bello with its large commodious harbour
afforded a good anchorage and shelter for the annual treasure galleons.
The narrow entrance was secured by the two forts mentioned in the
narrative, the St. Jago on the left entering the harbour, and the San
Felipe on the right; and within the port was a third called the San
Miguel. The town lay at the bottom of the harbour bending round the
shore like a half-moon. It was built on low swampy ground and had no
walls or defences on the land side. (_Cf._ the descriptions of Wafer and
Gage.) The garrison at this time probably did not ex