that although six thousand Men should come against them he should with the Fortifications and Men he had be able to secure himself and destroy them The like those who were at the passages of the River confidently assured me And now the Enemy being come those of the Castle of Chagre fought whole day and defended themselves with great Valour and Resolution Killing above two hundred Men and repulsing above six Assaults until the English taking advantage of the night and by the help of their Fire-balls set on Fire the Fortifications because the outsides were of Wood. They likewise burnt the Castellans or Governours House being thatched with Palm and consumed all the good Arms within There was Killed above half the People the Lieutenant also and the Castellan who all had behaved themselves with great Valour and had it not been for the Fire the Enemy had never gained it At the unhappy News of the loss of this considerable Castle those on the River were extreamly astonished and fearing the English would come up to them with two thousand Men Luis de Castillo Captain of the Mulatto's whom the Castellan Saludo had ordered to his Post a place called Barro Colorado having called a Council of War of those Officers under his Command without having any Order of mine or power to do it retired to Barbacoa forsaking his Post without fo much as ever seeing the Face of the Enemy The Castellan Saludo did the same quitting the Fortifications of Barbacoa and retired with his Men to Cruzes Before this at the first notice I had of the loss of the Castle of chagre Two mestises called the Sollices and a Negro of Vregoa offered with a hundred Men to regain the Castle or so to disorder the Enemy in case they should attempt to come up the River as to hinder them And for fear they should gain the Castle of Santos I sent Gil de la Torre who had been Lieutenant there to Govern and Defend it But neither of these complied with their undertaking for having sent two hundred and fifty chosen Men instead of the one hundred they had desired with the Sollices who meeting the Enemy on the River neither durst they stay to fight him as they might have done nor did they pass on to regain the Castle of Chagre But rather went round by the Mountain and came out at Capira after which they all dispersed without doing any good at all In this conjuncture having had the misfortune to have been lately Blooded three times for an Erysipelas I had in my right Leg I was forced to rise out of my Bed and march to Guiabal with the rest of the People which I had raised in Panama where I slaid until I understood the exact course of the Enemies march because I would be sure not to miss them for they might have gone by Barbacoa port Gilloa and Puerto de loes Naos With me I took eight hundred Men and three hundred Negroes that were Vassalls and Slaves of the Assentistaes And from the aforesaid place I sent to Cruzes three hundred Men amongst whom went one hundred Indians of Darien with their Commanders Of these I had greater Credit and Opinion than of any others yet had not these the courage to perform any thing Having been a day in Guiabal and my Men pretty well refreshed I received a Letter from a Negro Captain called Prado in which he assured me that the Enemy marched against us two thousand strong which News so much discouraged my Men that they ceased not to importune and press me to return to the Town protesting they would defend themselves in it to the last But it being impossible then to fortifie it it having many entrances and the Houses all built of Wood so soon as the Enemy should once make a breach we should quickly be exposed to their fury and forced miserably to shift for our selves for which reasons I consented not to them Next morning at break of day I found my self with not above one third part of my Men the rest having deserted me So that I was constrained to return back to the City to perswade them to Fight there at Panama there being no other remedy I arrived on Saturday night at Panama and Sunday morning went to the great Church where having received the Holy Communion before our Blessed Lady of Immaculate Conception with great Devotion I went to the principal guard and to all that were present I expressed my self to this effect That all those who were True Catholicks Defenders of the Faith and Devoto's of our Lady of Pure and Immaculate Conception should follow my Person being that same day at four a Clock in the afternoon resolved to march out to seek the Enemy and with this caution that he that should refuse to do it should be held for Infamous and a Coward besely slighting so precise an obligation All proffered me their assistance except those that had slunk from me at Guiabal And when I had drawn them up in order I carried the chief of them to the great Church where in the presence of our Lady of Pure and Immaculate Conception I made an Oath to die in her Defence And I gave her a Diamond Ring of the Value of forty thousand pieces of Eight in token of Compliance with my word and heartily invoked her aid And all present made the same Oath with much fervour The Images of the Pure and Immaculate Conception ever since the day of the Fight at Chagre Castle had been carried out in general Procession attended by all the Religious and Fraternity of the Cathedral of St. Francis that of the Nuns of our Lady of the Rosario those of San Domingo and those of the Mercedes together with all the Saints and Patrons of the Religious And always the most Holy Sacrament in all Churches was uncovered and exposed to publick view Masses were continually said for my happy success I parted with all my Jewels and Relicks collected in my Pilgrimage presenting them to the asforesaid images Saints and Patrons After this I marched with my Army about a League from Panama having with me three Field pieces covered with leather and charged And from that place I ordered another Party with two other Guns of the Men which came from the River being above three hundred to advance towards the Enemy which neither did any good This Body of Men which I had thus brought with me was compounded of two sorts Valiant Military Men and faint hearted Cowards many of them having all their Estates or pay due to them left in the Castle of Chagre and Puerto Velo and a great part of my Men were Negroes Nulattos and Indians to the number of about twelve hundred besides two hundred Negroes more belonging to the Astiento Our Fire Arms were few and bad in comparison of those the Enemy brought For ours were Carbins Harquebusles and Fowling pieces but few Muskets for they had likewise been left in Puerto Velo and
taken hold of the Ship This piece of Treachery made us despair of our money However it wrought this effect upon us that ever after we kept so strict a watch that we had prevented any such other mischiefs had they attempted the like against us And truly as our circumstances were it was a deliverance no Serious Man will be ever unmindful to give God Thanks for For at that time had our Ship been burnt not one man of us had escaped the Spaniards being not easily reconciled to us for those ill Offices we had done them since our visits there on the South Sea Coasts and some of us also not unknown to them in the North Seas That they would have hanged the rest if they had been Saints The Spaniards perceiving their project had not operated to burn our Ship they Early in the morning turned all the water sluices into the Town which in an hours time made the streets almost Ankle deep in water which before was dry dust This they did either to drive us out of the Town or to have water at hand to quench it in case we set it on fire which resolving to keep our word with the Enemy we did firing it in several Places at once and Packing up our Luggage after we had staid till the greatest part of it was in Flames we marched out of it down to the water side But the Governour had drawn all his men from the tops of the Hills down into the Vally by the water side into the way that we should pass So we detached out a small party for a forlorn supposing we must have fought our way through But as soon as we began to pink some of their Jackets for them with our Fuzees they got out of our reach and went to their ruin'd Town leaving us to go peaceably on Board our Ship When we came on Board we sent a shoar a great number of our Prisoners and amongst the rest Don Thomas d'Algondony Captain Peralta Captain Don Iuan and many others some of them being Merchants which we had taken and kept on board to learn them to eat Montego and Doâ—eboys Yet had they no reason to complain of their entertainment amongst us they being very civilly treated with the best our Ship could afford which if they do not justly acknowledge let them have a care we call them not to an account for their ingratitude when they least think of it 7. Tuesd. This day we weighed from Coguimbo wind at South 8. Wedn. Little wind at South we stood to the Westward and made three Islands that Lye North West a little distance from the Harbour of Coquimbo 9. Thursd. At 12 a Clock the Southermost Isle bore West 12 leag distance 10. Frid. Very little wind at South we have run 2 leag VVest VVest 14 leag 11. Saturd VVe have run 3 leag VVest wind N. E. VVest 17 leag 12. Sund. VVe have run this 24 hours 13 leag VVest wind South VVest 30 leag 1â— â—â—nd Plying between Coquimbo and Iuan Fernandoes This 24 hours we have run 11 leag VVest lat 30 deg 2 min. the wind at S. E. fair weather VVest 41 leag 14. Tuesd. VVe have run 4 leag East lat 30 deg 29 min. wind S. S. VV. with rain the 4 leag East deducted makes our departure VVest 37 leag 15. Wedn. VVe have run 7 leag VVest lat 30 deg 40 min. very hard gales at S. and S. S. W. West 44 leag 16. Thursd. VVe have run 20 leag VVest lat 30 deg 40 min. VVest 64 leag 17. Frid. VVe have run 11 leag VVest lat 30 deg 30 min. VVest 75 leag 18. Saturd We have run 12 leag West lat 30 deg 54 min. wind S. to S. E. squally weather West 87 leag 19. Sund. We have run 15 leag VVest lat 31 deg 39 min. wind S. E. VVest 102 leag 20. Mund. VVe have run 17 leag VVest lat 32 deg 21 min. VVest 119 leag 21. Tuesd. VVe have run 12 leag VVest lat 32 deg 13 min. VVest 131 leag 22. Wedn. VVe have run 3 leag East lat 32 deg 10 min. the wind round the Compass East 3 leag 23. Thursd. VVe have run 3 leag East lat 32 deg 43 min. the wind from N W. to S. E. East 6 leag 24. Frid. We have run 15 leag East lat 33 deg 33 min. wind at N. to N. N. VV. this day we made the VVestermost Isle of Iuan Fernando's it bears S. VV. East 21 leag 25. Saturd VVe have run 10 leag East lat 33 deg 42 min. at six a Clock in the Evening we came to an anchor at the Southermost part of this Island in 11 fath water where we lay very smooth in the N. VV. Bay VVe lay at this Place until Tuesday following but not finding it a good road we went to Leeward of the Island where we lay very smooth in the N. W. Bay Here we lay and refresht our men with Goats Flesh and fresh Fish of both which here is plenty and as it is usuall amongst the generality of men that plenty of all things breeds an increase of ill humors Faction and Disturbances so it had the same effect upon our men for now they are for a new Commander A party of the disaffected to Captain Sharp got ashoar and subscribed a Paper to make Iohn Wutling Commander pretending liberty to a free election as they termed it and that Watling had it by vote The reason of this mutiny was that Sharp had got about 3000 pieces of Eight and was willing to come home that year but two thirds of the Company had none left having lost it at play And those would have Captain Sharp turned out because they had no mind as yet to return home This Fewd was carried on so fiercely that it was very near coming to a civil VVar had not some prudent men a little moderaâ—ed the thing Yet all this while we all â—oined in the ready Fitting our Vessel and used all diligence imaginable to get â—o Sea again It pleased God as our Ship was newly made clean and ready to Sail there came three Men of War to look for us Now we had at that time two Canoes at the windward side of the Isle setching Goats who saw the three Men of War and gave us notice of them so that we had just time to get our Men on Board who were most of them at that time on shoar cutting wood and washing their clothes As soon as they were got on Board the Ships came in sight so we got up one Anchor and left the other behind us We heysted in our Canoes and Boat and clapt close by the wind for at this time those Ships were to Leeward of us about two miles their Admiral sailed well so that in chase of us the other two were two leagues distant from him now knowing we could deal well enough with him tho he had twelve great Guns and we not one we went about-Ship resolving
them understanding The Castle of Chagre blocked our way The Admiral called a Council of all the Captains where it was resolved that we should attack this Castle of Chagre Of the taking the CASTLE OF CHAGRE FOR this purpose were four hundred and seventy men in three Ships forthwith dispatched away under the command of Captain Ioseph Bâ—dley with three other Captains and four Lieutenants On the 27. they were safely landed within four Miles of the Castle by twelve a Clock at Night By two they had made their approach within Shot one of the other and by three a Clock had got into their Trenches where they continued fighting till eight in the Morning from whence they had returned without effecting their design if in plying their Granadoes they had not set a Guard-house on fire that stood upon the Walls which caused a breach where our Men couragiously stormed and the enemy as bravely defended to the last Man and obstinately refusing Quarter it cost them the lives of three hundred and sixty Men. Of our side were thirty killed out right one Captain and one Lieutenant and seventy six wounded whereof the brave Bradley was one with two Lieutenants who dyed within ten dayes after of their Wounds to the great grief of the Admiral and of all our Fleet in general Admiral Morgan's Expedition against Panama JAnuary the second 1670 1 Admiral Morgan arrived with the whole Fleet and understanding that the Enemy lay with Forces to endeavour the re-taking of the Castle of Chagre he gave order for the Fleet to follow him into the Harbour but five of the foremost had the ill fortune to be cast away amongst which the Ship where in the Admiral himself was was one and four more but they saved their Men. The rest of the Fleet being come in they prepared to go up the River where the Admiral understood our Enemies had entrenched themselves and had six several Retreats in Breast-Works whereupon he gave order That seven sail of the lesser Ships should be fitted to go up the River and fill'd them with Men and great Guns leaving three hundred to guard the Castle and the Ships under the command of Captain Richard Norman Munday the ninth Admiral Morgan began to set forward with fourteen hundred Men in the said seven Ships and thirty six Boats The twelfth day he got to the first Intrenchment which the Spaniards had basely quitted and set all on fire as they did all the rest without striking a stroak for it Here he was forced to leave the Ships and Boats being unable to get them conveniently up further with two hundred Men to guard them under the command of Captain Robert Delander and we betook our selves to our march through the wild Woods where was no Road nor Path for four and twenty Miles together but what our Pioneers cut and made for us The fourteenth our Admiral with our Army arrived within two Miles of Venta Cruz the place where we should have landed if we had been able to have got our Vessels up so high And here we came to a narrow and dangerous Pass which the Enemy thought to have secured and put a stop to our further progress in that design but indeed they were presently routed by our Forlorn commanded by Captain Thomas Rogers the rest of our Men never being put to the trouble of firing one Shot and without sustaining any loss saving three Men slightly wounded but the Enemies loss we could never learn Ianuary the fifteenth we arrived at Venta Cruz upon the River of Chagre which is a very handsome Village and the place where they land and embark all the Goods which come and go to Panama And where we thought we might meet with some Provisions having marched three days with but a very slender Dyet but found this as the rest of the places we had passed all on fire and the Inhabitants and Souldiers all fled The sixteenth we marched on forwards the Enemy galling us from their Ambuscades and by small Parties and we still beating them for a League together although they had all the advantage of us that could be by reason of the Ways being so narrow that we could seldom march above four a Breast and was for the most part so deep and hollow that the Enemy could keep over our heads to annoy us About Noon we got safely to the Savanas or open Fields with the loss but of three Men Killed outright and six or seven wounded and of the Enemy twenty killed and one Captain besides many wounded About three Miles further we took up our Quarters to refresh our Men and thank God for the successful service of that day The seventeenth we continued our march without any opposition and about nine a Clock in the Morning saw that desired and long wished for sight the South Sea and not far distant from us 〈◊〉 parcel of Cattle and Horses feeding Whereupon our Admiral commanded a general halt to be made and gave our Men leave to kill Horses and Beeves enough to feast us all At about four a Clock in the Afternoon our Men having refreshed themselves very well we marched on again and at five came within sight of the Enemy where he was drawn up in Battalia with two thousand and one hundred Foot and six hundred Horse but finding the day far spent the Admiral thought it not fit to engage but took up quarters within a mile of them where we lay very quiet not being so much as once allarmed The next Morning being the eighteenth our Admiral gave out very early his Orders To draw out his Men in Battalia which was accordingly performed and they were drawn up in form of a Tertia The Vanguard which was led by Lieutenant Colonel Prince and Major Iohn Morris was in number three hundred Men. The main Body containing six hundred Men the right Wing thereof was led by the Admiral and the Left by Colonel Edward Collyer The Rere-Guard consisting of three hundred Men was commanded by Colonel Bledry Morgan Our Admiral after having viewed his Men and encouraged them commanded the Officers all to repair to their respective charges Mean while the Enemy being drawn up in an advantagious place still kept their station nor would at all move though often provoked by us fearing to lose the security of their Ground Which our Admiral perceiving presently gave order That our Officers should wheel our Body to the left and endeavour to gain a Hill which was hard by and which if once gained we should then force the Enemy to engage to their great disadvantage because he could not be able to bring out of his great Body any more Men to fight at a time than we should out of our small and that we should likewise have the advantage both of the Wind and Sun Our Officers streight put this command in execution and in a small time we gained the Hill together with a little dry Passage of convenience for us So the
Enemy was constrained to fight us upon their hasty march not having room enough to wheel their whole Body by reason of a great Bogg which was just at their Rear and before which they had purposely drawn up to entrap us But we having thus Changed our Ground that proved in the upshot to be of prejudice to themselves We being thus advanced Don Francisco de Haro who commanded their Cavalry with his Horse gave the first Charge to our Vanguard which he did very furiously coming upon the full speed and we having no Pikes among us our Admiral gave order That we should double our Ranks to the Right and close the Files to the Right and Left inward to the close Order But their fiery Commander could not stop his career till he dropt losing his life in the FrontRank of our Vanguard Upon this their Horse wheeled off to the Right and their Foot advanced to try their Fortunes but they proved as unsuccessful as their fellows for we being ready with our main Body to receive them with our first Volley gave them such a warm welcome and pursued our work in hand with that vigour and briskness that our friends the Spaniards thought it safest to retreat and by and by were so closely plyed by our Left Wing also who at first could not come to engage because of their hindrance by the Hills which our Enemies not able to endure mended though unwillingly their pace and at last all in general betook themselves to plain running Just before which they practised such a stratagem as hath seldom been heard For while the Foot had engaged us in the Front and the Flanks they had contrived to force in two great Droves of Oxen of above a thousand in each into the Right and Left Angles of our Rear with intention to break and disorder us Which design might probably have taken effect had not our prudent Admiral with great presence of mind spoiled their project giving order to a small Party to fire at the Drivers and not at the Cattle which put the rest into so great a fear that the Oxen were soon forced back with â—afe So that this stratagem being thus defeated they were in so great consternation that happy was he that could get first into the City There they had two hundred fresh men and two Forts in the one were fix Brass Guns mounted and in the other eight They had all their Streets barricadoed and in many of them had also planted great Guns the number of which amounted in all to thirty two Brass Guns But instead of fighting after all this preparation the President caused the City to be fired and his chiefest Fort to be blown up which was done with such hast that he blew up forty of his Souldiers in it We followed them into the Town where in the Placa Mayor or chief Market place they made a short resistence fring some of their great Guns at us with which they killed us four Men and wounded five At three a Clock in the Afternoon we had quiet possession of the City although in Flames with no more loss on our side in this days work than five Men killed and ten wounded but of the Enemy about four hundred And now were we forced to put all Hands to work for the quenching the Fire of our Enemies Houses which they themselves had kindled to disappoint us of the Plunder but all our labour was in vain for by twelve a clock at Night all the whole City was burnt except a part of the Suburbs which with our great industry we made a shift to save being two Churches and about three hundred Houses Thus was that ancient and famous City of Panama consumed and laid in Ashes being the greatest Mart for Silver and Gold in the whole World for it receives all the Goods and Merchandise coming from Old Spain in the Kings great Fleet which is first landed at Puerto Belo and Venta Cruz and thence brought on Mules and by other land-Carriage hither and likewise delivers to the Gallions of the Flota or Plate Fleet all the Silver and Gold which comes from the Mines of Potozi and all Peru. Here at this City we stayed eight and twenty days making continual incursions upon the Enemy by Land for twenty Leagues round about without having so much as one Gun shot at us in anger although we took in this time near three thousand Prisoners of all sorts And kept Barks likewise cruising in the South Sea and fetching off Prisoner from Toboga and other Islands near that Coast to which the Spaniards had fled with their Families February the fourteenth we quitted Panama and began our march towards our Ship with all our Prisoners and the next day came to Venta Cruz at about two in the Afternoon which is about fifteen English miles Here we stayed refreshing our selves till the four and twentieth giving the Spaniards opportunity to ransom their Prisoners The twenty sixth we got to Chagre which we found in good order since our leaving it And here we divided the Plunder amongst the Souldiers and Seamen which amounted to about thirty thousand Pound Sterling March the sixth we fired the Castle of Chagre having first spiked the Guns and then embarked for our Voyage towards Iamaica where in a short time we safely arrived The reason why we got no more wealth in that expedition was because they had two Months notice of us before our coming and conveyed most of their Treasure away on board their Ships to be transported to Lima in Peru one of which Ships was laden with Gold Silver and precious Stones which Ship contained seven hundred Tun And there was likewise another of three hundred Tun laden also with Riches both which made their escape from us This together with their firing the City of Panama made us return so empty home Don Juan Perez de Guzman President of Panama his Relation of the late Action of the English there in the Westâ—Indies Being a Letter intercepted by them as it was going into Spain and brought to Admiral Morgan Rendred into English out of the Spanish HAving had advice from the Governour of Carthagena which he sent me by way of Darien that the English of Iamaica assisted by the French intended with an Army of three thousand Men to Invade Carthagena and Panama I presently orderded two hundred Men to march to Puerto Velo and to Chagre one hundred and fifty And to the Castillan Don Francisco Saludo I sent order that with five hundred Men he should guard the passage of the River and fortifie it About five months before this I had consulted Don Iuan de Aras Capellan of the Audiencia and other Intelligent persons And they perswaded me that the forts on the River as well as the Castle were all impregnable And in reiterated Letters which I had from Don Pedro de Lisardo he assured me the same of Chagre and that I needed not to take care for them for
Chagre Now having formed the Army into two double Squadrons and the Cavalry which were two hundred mounted on the same tired Horses which had brought them thither and with two great Herds of Oxen and Bulls drove thither by fifty Cow-keepers on purpose to disorder the Enemy The Army all appeared brisk and courageous desireing nothing more than to engage nor wanted there any thing of Regalo to infuse Spirit into them So that it seemed to me by what I saw and what they told me that they would be able to charge the Enemy like Lightning On Wednesday morning the Enemy appeared seeming to direct their march towards our Rear in three Squadrons wherein they had two thousand three hundred Men as I understood for certain afterwards but by and by they taking a compass advanced to the Front of our Army I had put for Leader of our left Wing Dom Alonso Alcaudete and for Leader of the right Wing the Governour of Beragues Don Iuan Portando Bargueno and in the centre the Serjeant Major To these I gave strict Command that none should move without my order and that coming within shot the three first Ranks should Fire on their Knees and after this charge they should give place to the Rear to come up and Fire and that although they should chance to see any fall Dead or Wounded they should not quit their stations but to the last extremity observe these their Orders I was at this time in the right Wing of the Vanguard watching the Enemies motion which was hasty by the Foot of a Hill in a narrow place about three Musket shot from the left Wing of our Army When on a sudden I heard a loud clamour crying out Fall on fall on For they Fly At which Don Alonso de Alcaudete was not able to keep them in their Ranks nor stop them from running away though he cut them with his Sword but they all fell into disorder And I well knowing the Fatality of this gave command that they should drive in the Herds of Cattle and charge with the Horse So putting my self in the Head of the Squadron of the right Wing saying come along Boys there is no other remedy now but to Conquer or Die Follow me I went directly to the Enemy and hardly did our Men seâ— some fall Dead and others Wounded but they turned their backs and fled leaving me there with only one Negro and one Servant that followed me Yet I went forward to comply with my word to the Virgin which was to Die in her Defence receiving a shot in a staff which I carried in my Hand upright close to my cheek At which moment came up to me a Priest of the great Church called Iuan de Dios who was wont to say Mass in my House beseeching me to retire and save my self whom I twice sharply reprehended But the third time he persisting telling me that it was meer desperation to Die on that manner and not like a Christian. With that I retired it being a miracle of the Virgin to bring me off safe from amidst so many thousand Bullets After this I endeavoured with all my industry to perswade the Souldiers to turn and face our Enemies but it was impossible so that nothing hindering them they entred the City to which the Slaves and Owners of the Houses had put Fire and being all of Boards and Timber 't was most of it quickly burnt except the Audiencia the Governours House the Convent of the Mercedes San Ioseph the Suburbs of Malambo and Pierde Vidas at which they say the Enemy fretted very much for being disappointed of their Plunder And because they had brought with them an English Man whom they called The Prince with intent there to Crown him King of the Terra Firma The English having thus got possession of the Relicks of our Town found a Bark in the Fasca although I had given order there should be none yet had they not complied with my command and when they would have set it on Fire the Enemy came fast and put it out and with it did us much damage for they took three more with it and made great havock of all they found in the Islands of Tabaga Otoque and las Islas del Rey taking and bringing from thence many Prisoners After this misfortune I gave order to all the People I met that they should stay for me at Nata for there I intended to form the Body of an Army once more to encounter the English But when I came to that City I found not one Soul therein for all were fled to the Mountains The same happened to me at the Town from whence I dispatched a Vessel to Peru with the sad News of our misfortune as I had done by Land to Guatimala Mexico and by Puerto Velo to Sparue And although I afterwards attempted several times to form an Army yet I could not do any good of it because no Man would be perswaded to follow me So that I remained utterly destitute of any Guard till such time as the English marched back to the Castle of Chagre to make his Voyage for Iamaica There embarked themselves for Peru without seeing the face of an Enemy the Castellan Saludo whom I did not believe to be such a one Don Iuan de Aras Francisco Gonzales Caâ—asco being a young lively Captain and many Others This Sir has been a Chastisement from Heaven and the same might have happened to that great Captain Gensalo Fernando de Cordova as did to me if his Men had deserted him for one Man alone can do little In the middle of all this Torrent of Affliction it was no small good fortune to have the Fort of San Geromino in Puerto Velo finished And to have the Fortifications of those two Castles made there anew Because their first intent was to have attaqued the said Castles which are as report goes well furnished with Men and Ammunition If all were lost I hope God would give me patience to suffer so great a Punishment But so it is that all the Presidents together that this Kingdom has ever had have not done the third part of what I have done in order to the prevention of these mischiefs But I know my self so unfortunate as not to have People sent me out of Spain that are paid And so long as that shall happen not to be so in this Kingdom and that Chagre and Panama shall not be fortified they will be in perpetual danger of loseing the Indies This is what has passed omitting infinite particulars not to enlarge too much and which is all I have to say to you whose Life God preserve many years Panama c. The Relation of Colonel Beeston his Voyage to Carthagena for adjusting the Peace made in Spain for the West-Indies c. COlonel William Beeston having received Orders and Instructions from the Honourable Sir Thomas Linch Knight his Majesties Lieutenant Governour of the Island of Iamaica to embark on the