"In case you shall find it practicable to seize, surprise, or take any of the towns or places belonging to the Spaniards on the coast, that you may judge worthy of making such an enterprise upon, you are to attempt it; for which purpose we have not only ordered the land-forces above mentioned, but have also thought proper to direct that an additional number of small arms be put on board the ships under your command, to be used, as occasion may require, by the crews of the said ships, or otherwise, as you shall find most for our service. And you are, on such occasions, to take the opinion of the captains of our ships under your command at a council of war; of which council of war, in case of any attack or enterprise by land, the commander of our landforces shall also be one; which said land-forces shall, upon such occasions, be landed according to the determination of the said council of war; and, when on shore, shall be under the direction and conduct of the commanding officer of our land-forces, subject, however, to be recalled on board by any future determination of a council of war. And, as it will be absolutely necessary for you to be supplied with provisions and water when and where they can be had, you will inform yourself of the places where that can be most conveniently done; and, as we have been informed that the coasts of Chili, and particularly the island of Chiloe, do abound with provisions and necessaries of all sorts, you are to call there for that purpose.

"As it has been represented unto us that the number of native Indians on the coast of Chili greatly exceeds that of the Spaniards, and that there is reason to believe that the said Indians may not be averse to join with you against the Spaniards, in order to recover their freedom, you are to endeavour to cultivate a good understanding with such In

dians as shall be willing to join and assist you in any attempt that you may think proper to make against the Spaniards that are established there.

"You are to continue your voyage along the coast of Peru, and to get the best information you can whether there be any place, before you come to Lima, that may be worthy your attention, so as to make it advisable to stop at it; but if there be no place where any considerable advantage can be expected, you are then to go along the coast till you come to Calao, which is the port of Lima, taking or destroying all embarkations whatsoever that you shall meet with. As soon as you shall arrive at Calao you shall consider whether it may be practicable to make an attempt upon that place or not; and if it shall be judged practicable by a council of war, to be held for that purpose, with the strength you have with you, to make an attack upon that port, you are accordingly to do it; and if it shall please God to bless our arms with success, you are then to endeavour to turn it to the best advantage possible for our service.

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And whereas there is some reason to believe, from private intelligence, that the Spaniards in the kingdom of Peru, and especially in that part of it which is near Lima, have long had an inclination to revolt from their obedience to the King of Spain (on account of the great oppressions and tyrannies exercised by the Spanish viceroys and governors) in favour of some considerable person amongst themselves, you are, if you should find that there is any foundation for these reports, by all possible means to encourage and assist such a design in the best manner you shall be able: and in case of any revolution or revolt from the obedience of the King of Spain, either amongst the Spaniards or the Indians in those parts, and of any new government being erected by

them, you are to insist upon the most advantageous conditions for the commerce of our subjects to be carried on with such government so to be erected; for which purpose you shall make provisional agreements, subject to our future approbation and confirmation.

"But, in case you should not think proper to attack Calao, or should miscarry in any attempt you may make against that place, you are then to proceed to the northward as far as Panama; but, as there are many places along the coast which are considerable, and where the Spanish ships, in their passage between Panama and Lima, do usually stop, it will be proper for you to look into those places, and to annoy the Spaniards there as much as it shall be in your power. And, if you shall meet with the Spanish men-of-war that carry the treasure from Lima to Panama, you are to endeavour to make yourself master of them.

"When you are arrived at Panama, you will probably have an opportunity to take or destroy such embarkations as you shall find there; and, as the town itself is represented not to be very strong, you are, if you shall think you have sufficient force for that purpose, to make an attempt upon that town, and endeavour to take it, or burn and destroy it, as you shall think most for our service.

"And, as you may possibly find an opportunity to send privately, overland, to Portobello or Darien, you are by that means to endeavour to transmit to any of our ships or forces that shall be on that coast an account of what you have done or intend to do. And lest any such intelligence should fall into the hands of the Spaniards, we have ordered you to be furnished with a cipher, in which manner only you are to correspond with our admiral or the commander-in-chief of

D

any of our ships that may be in the northern seas of America, or the commander-in-chief of our land-forces.

"As we have determined to send a large body of troops from hence as early as possible in the spring, to make a descent on some part of the Spanish West Indies; and as we shall have a very considerable fleet in those seas, in case it should be thought proper that any part of those ships or troops should go to Portobello or Darien with a design to send the said troops overland to Panama or Santa Maria, you are then to make the best disposition to assist them by all the means that you shall be able in making a secure settlement, either at Panama or any other place that shall be thought proper; and you are, in such case, to supply them with cannon from the ships under your command (if necessary), or with anything else that can be spared without too much weakening the squadron; and if the land-forces on board our said ships should be wanted to reinforce those that may come overland to the coast of the South Sea, you may cause them to go on shore for that purpose, with the approbation of the proper officers.

"When you shall have proceeded thus far, it must, in a great measure, be left to your discretion, and that of a council of war (when, upon any difficulty you shall think fit to call them together), to consider whether you shall go farther to the northward, or remain longer at Panama, in case the place should have been taken by our forces, or you can any way hear that any of our forces may be expected on that side from the north side. But you will always take particular care to consider of a proper place for careening of the ships, and for supplying them with provisions either for their voyage homeward or for their continuing longer abroad.

"In case you shall be so happy as to meet with success, you shall take the first opportunity, by sending a ship on purpose, or otherwise, to acquaint us with it, and with every particular that may be necessary for us to be informed of, that we may take the proper measures thereupon.

66 If you shall find no occasion for your staying longer in those seas, and shall judge it best to go to the northward as far as Acapulco, or to look out for the Acapulco ship, which sails from that place for Manilla at a certain time of the year, and generally returns at a certain time also, you may possibly, in that case, think it most advisable to return home by the way of China, which you are hereby authorized to do, or to return home by Cape Horn, as you shall think best for our service, and for the preservation of the ships and the men on board them.

"Whenever you shall judge it necessary for our service to return with our squadron to England, you may, if you shall think it proper, leave one or two of our ships in the South Sea for the security of any of the acquisitions you may have been able to make, or for the protection of the trade which any of our subjects may be carrying on in those parts."