Page:The Philippine Islands, 1493-1803 (Volume 11).djvu/314

he displays his jealousy of me in all matters [in so far as] he can. Accordingly, on account of this—as well as to cover his fault at the time of the despatch of the fleet which I took, by sending me unsupplied with sailors and other things necessary, which it was his duty to furnish—among other measures which he has taken since the past year, one has been under color and appearance of proceeding from the licentiate Salazar de Salzedo, fiscal of this Audiencia (whom, for private reasons, he holds quite in his power). The said factor induced the fiscal, in the affair of his investigation, to draw up a secret information with suborned witnesses—sailors and others, who are at his call—by which it is intimated that he furnished me well, and that the commander's ship was lost through my fault, imputing to me by the statements of these men other and illegal actions, in order to disparage my faithful service; by this may be seen the malice and passion of those concerned in this afifair. That document was sent to your Majesty and the ministers before whom this matter is considered.

In like manner Captain Joan de Alcega (his intimate friend, and likewise a partisan of the said fiscal and factor), whom I took as admiral, in order to cover up his own guilt—for which he was arrested by the president and governor, and is being proceeded against officially because, at the beginning of the fight, he left the commander's ship unsustained, contrary to the order which he had from me in writing; and on account of other illegal acts, and because he took a part of the benefits of the success which resulted—he also, driven by the same heat of passion, has taken secret measures and procured documents