, and eager for the honor of the service of God
and his king; by nature humane and full of zeal for the common good,
and for the salvation of souls. The same things should be looked for in
so far as possible in the other leaders, counselors, and commanders;
and they should be men who would be bowed with shame and dishonor at
being guilty of deeds unworthy a Christian and a noble man.

Seventh: If this be not looked after thoroughly, and effective measures
taken for its remedy--both with respect to the personnel, as has been
said, and the heavy punishment that should be ordained and decreed,
and in due time executed--his Majesty will have, after heavy losses
and labors, nothing for his pains but the loss of his honor, wealth,
people, vessels, and arms, which are taken from his realm, where they
are so badly needed, and yet are sent away to ruin a land and desolate
a people--the richest and most opulent in temporal goods that could
be owned, and in spiritual possibilities, of all those that have been
discovered. The result would be that, either by the judgment of God,
to avert so many evils and the ruin of so many people and of so good a
government, the army and the expedition would be destroyed; or else,
if the land be won, the conquest would entail the destruction and
ruin of all that might have been gained, and naught would be left
but the seeds of perpetual sorrow.

Of the gains from this conquest, if it be rightly done

The first of the many and enormous benefits of this conquest, if it
be rightly ordered and carried out, is that the knowledge of God and
of Jesus Christ His Son, our Lord--which has commenced in these lands
so remote and distant from the church and the support of the Catholic
kings; and which is at present so narrowly constrained and little
disseminated in these islands, and is in danger each day of coming to
an end, if thus neglected--will not only be spread over great realms,
but by this means will be so well founded, and so widely extended,
that it shall never be ruined or extinguished; but it shall remain
and persevere in this new world with the glory and fame, before God
and man, of that king, who, by his zeal, diligence, and liberality,
has accomplished what no other monarch of the world has done.

The second: No one, if he has not seen it, can imagine or comprehend
the infinite multitude of souls that will thus come to the knowledge
and adoration of their Creator. Today they are in the u