two. In both of them your Grace relates to me the shipwreck
that befell you and how you saved yourself by swimming. Long
before I saw your Grace's letters, I had learned of your
mishap, whereat I was very anxious and even quite grieved;
because of what was reported here, I imagined that your Grace
had a part in it. Consequently, I was singularly overjoyed
at the assurance that your Grace still possessed life and
health. Having them, one can conquer other things; and
without them human treasure has no value. By way of Flandes
(whence ships come daily to this island), I learned much,
nay, all the event, although not so minutely. For Oliver de
Nort, who was the Dutch general, with whom the engagement
occurred, arrived safely in Holanda, with eight men--and he
made nine--and without money. His purpose when he left the
rebellious states of Holanda and Zelanda, with five armed
vessels laden with merchandise--which were worth, principal
and merchandise, one hundred and fifty or two hundred thousand
ducados--was to trade and carry on commerce through the strait
(and such were his orders), in whatever parts he should
be, with friends or enemies. He was not to attack anyone,
but only to defend himself and to incline the Indians to
trade and exchange with him. All the vessels having reached
the strait together, three of them became separated there
because of storms, and must have been wrecked; for up to the
present nothing has been heard of them. Having seen himself so
abandoned, and that he could not restore his loss by trade,
or else because he did not receive a hospitable reception
from the inhabitants of Piru, he determined to exceed his
orders, and make that voyage one of plundering. Accordingly
he stationed himself at the mouth of the river to await