The second and fourth are from the Real Academia de la Historia, Madrid; and the eighth from the Archivo Historico Nacional, Madrid.
_Translations_: The second and fourth are translated by Herbert E.Bolton, Ethel Z.Rather, and Mattie A.Austen, of the University of Texas; the eighth by Robert W.Haight; and the remainder by James A.Robertson.
Reforms Needed in the Filipinas (concluded) Aid against the Dutch requested Sire: Hernando de los Rios Coronel, procurator-general of the Filipinas Islands and of all their estates, declares that he came the past year to inform your Majesty and your royal Council of the Indias, in the name of those islands, of the desperate condition to which the Dutch enemy have brought them.

Desiring that your Majesty understand the importance of the matter, he gave you a long printed relation in which he discussed points important for their recovery from the enemy and the expulsion of the latter from that archipelago.

Your Majesty, upon seeing it, ordered a fleet to be prepared; but that fleet was so unfortunate as to be lost before beginning its voyage.

Although your Council of the Indias is discussing the formation of another fleet to sail by way of the Strait of Magallanes, or by the new strait [_i.e._, of Le Maire], it cannot, if it leaves here any time in July (which is the earliest time when it can be sent from Espana) possibly arrive [at Filipinas] until one and one-half years from now--or a little less, if it has no bad luck.

Now considering the watchfulness of the enemy, and the forces that they are sending this year, namely, forty ships, which have left Olanda--whence can be inferred the importance to them of making themselves masters of those regions, since they are so persistent in their efforts, and incur so heavy expenses--he [_i.e._, Los Rios] advises you for the discharge of his conscience, and his obligation, and his duty as a good vassal of your Majesty, that there is urgent need that, notwithstanding the relief that your Council of the Indias is about to despatch by way of the straits, other help be furnished from Nueva Espana and Piru; of both men and money, and to employ this [aid from Espana] with as great care as the gravity of the matter requires, and to realize the fact that, were it lost, both Eastern and Western India would be endangered.