that all the natives of
that land are great liars, and exaggerate things.

All these islands with more than two hundred and fifty leagues
hereabout, are included in the compact which the sacred Majesty now
in glory made with the most serene king, Don Juan of Portugal. Even
if it were outside of the compact, if your Majesty does not wish to
continue the spice trade, on account of the great expense and the
little profit that it now yields, or will yield in the future, I think
that it would be advisable to withdraw the people from the islands,
as your Majesty can hope to draw no other profit from this land. I
say this as a loyal subject of your Majesty, for it grieves me to
see so much money wasted on a land which can be of no profit whatever.

If your Majesty prefers the spices, I think that it would be better
to break the agreement, since it is for so small an amount, that
three hundred and fifty thousand ducats [71] would be gained in two
ships going from Nueba Espana to those regions. When this is done,
your Majesty's domains will extend as far as Maluco, according to
what was told me by the Augustinian friar, by name Fray Martin de
Herrada, a native of Navarra, who was prior at the time when I left
the Western Islands. He is a great arithmetician, geometrician, and
astrologer [--one of the very greatest in the world]. He has measured
this, and told me so. He has also written a book on navigation and
the measurement of the earth and the sea, east and west. I believe
that he will send the book by Fray Diego de Herrera, prior of the
aforesaid islands of your Majesty. Then we shall be able to trade in
spices with the whole world; for as I have said before, cloves cannot
be found save in the five islands of Maluco.

I have written all that can be said on this subject; and I say this
because I have seen other accounts both in print and in manuscript,
which depart very much from the truth. In order that your Majesty
may not be deceived, I sign this account with my name.

If your Majesty should desire to know especial details about that land,
I will, at your command, give oral information.

[_Endorsed on Sevilla MS_: "Superb! Excellent! Relation of the route
to the Western Islands." _And in a more modern hand_: "By Captain
Juan de la Ysla. Islands of the West."]

Letter from the Viceroy of New Spain to Felipe II

Royal Catholic Majesty:

On the fifteenth of November there arrived at the port of Acapulco one