SPANISH LETTERS INTERCEPTED ad. 



1590. 

 send you long health. From Puerto Rico the 20 of 

 November 1590. 



The Governour Diego Mendez de Valdes. 



A letter to John Lopez Canavate, Alderman in 

 the towne of Canavate in Spaine v^ritten from 

 his servant Juan de Porva Canavates, from 

 Havana the seventeenth of October 1590, 

 touching the state of the said place. 



His is to give you to understand, that 



since my departure from S. Lucar I 



have written unto you twise of my 



arrivall here, and what successe I have 



had. And nowe you shall understand 



that I am determined to goe for Nueva 



Espanna. For I stay but opportunitie of 



time. For here is great watch dayly kept and great 



looking to the souldiers in keeping of them together, for 



running away. But neverthelesse I hope in God, to "^he souldiers 



finde some friend to convey mee away from hence. This ^^J^^^^yj^^^ 



, , ^ IT 1 Havana, 



countrey is so close and narrow, that it a man steale not 



away hidden in some shippe, it is not possible for him to 



escape, nor to goe a league out of the towne, no way 



but by sea. And because the harbour is so close, it is 



the best harbour and the surest in the world. The 



harbour is made in this order. The entrie in towarde 



the land is by a narrow streight chanel, which continueth 



as long as a caliver shot, and from that place the river 



openeth broader and broader : There are in the entring 



in, two points which make with the lande, whereupon 



are newly builded two strong forts, which are fortified 



with very great store of ordinance : besides another strong [ill. 560.] 



and famous Forte which is in the Citie, so that it is 



impossible to take it. There are in these three Fortes, 



a thousand souldiers in Garison. And likewise here 



are two galies to keepe the coast. Yet for all this, The boldnes of 



the audacious Englishmen being without all shame are ^^^ English. 



163 



