After  I  had  written  the  enclosed  despatch,  advising  the  arrival
on  the  west  coast  of  ships  from  the  Azores,  a  Portuguese  arrived
here,  a  tall  mulatto,  who-se  name  I  have  not  learnt,  to  beg  of
this  Queen  to  send  aid  for  the  holding  of  the  Isle  of  Terceira,  in
the  interests  of  Don  Antonio.  He  assures  her  that  if  she  aids
them  the  rest  of  the  islands  will  side  with  them.  They  ofi'er  to
pay  for  all  the  aims,  munitions,  trnd  stores,  which  may  be  sent  to
them.
ELIZABETH.  115


1581.
The  bishop  of  Angra  writea  to  Antonio  de  Castillo  a  letter,  of
which  I  send  copy,  and  I  have  therefore  kept  back  the  despatch
until  I  see  what  the  Queen  will  decide  about  sending  the  aid
sought.  It  is  a  very  old  project,  as  I  wrote  to  your  Majesty  on  the
20th  December,  reporting  that  the  islands  had  sent  a  ship  hither
about  it,  and  that  the  vessels  then  ready  to  sail  to  the  Indies  for
plunder  were  kept  back  in  respect  thereof.
