two or three galleons, while our
eight galleys, ready and prepared for fighting, not only have nothing
to fear, but can from the start expect the victory, in case they meet
the enemy. Second, for this reason, if once our galleons cause the
enemy loss in the chief thing that takes the latter there, namely,
trade, they will have to diminish their forces, and will lose credit
with their backers. Hence I infer that not only should this route and
[possible] encounter not be avoided, but that express orders be given
to the commander of this relief expedition to follow the routes taken
by the enemy and to reconnoiter their chief factory of Batan, which is
not fortified. For if God permits him to find and destroy that place,
many and very important results will follow: First, that immediately
word will be passed to all those nations--who love changes and cry
"long live" to the conqueror--and they will lose the little affection
that they have for the enemy at present; while they will incline toward
and join us, turning against our enemy, as they have promised. Second,
that our soldiers, flushed with the beginnings of victory, will be
worth after that for other victories just twice as much; nor will they
be without military discipline for the first victory, for the Spanish
infantry begins its military duty from the day when it establishes
its camp, and daily becomes more valuable. Third, inasmuch as when the
vessels of this relief expedition reach Manila, they will necessarily
arrive there in need of rest, and already the enemy will be warned to
resist whatever sally they try to make, that which will now be made
against them with eight vessels cannot later be made against them
with many more. Fourth, because, on the journey they will lay down the
complete and fixed route that should be taken by that course, so that
your Majesty's fleets may go and come as do those of the enemy. Fifth,
because the enemy are at present not only not sending any fleet to
those regions, but are obliged to collect their forces in order to
resist those of your Majesty in their own territory, because of the
expiration of the truce. [1] Consequently the attempt must be made
to inflict all the damage possible on the enemy during these years,
until they are driven entirely out of the Orient and your Majesty
becomes lord of it all. For if that result be once accomplished, the
fruits of that victory will allow sufficient fleets to be maintained,
both in these