amount is yet so heavy that it
could swell your Majesty's royal treasury, through the good custom
and law permitted by God, which that would put an end to--the answer
that I gave when they notified me of it, was that, since they were
like myself, your Majesty's servants and vassals they were in duty
bound to increase your Majesty's crown and royal estate, to the best
of their ability, and ought to do so.

It is especially necessary that your Majesty order that the people
who are to come to these parts from Nueva Espana shall be sent
without regularly appointed captains, but that they shall bring
a person suitable to command them as far as these islands, to the
point where the governor, Miguel Lopez de Legazpi, shall reside, in
order to deliver the people to him and give up the command; and that
your Majesty shall assign to this duty persons who shall seem to be
better qualified for your Majesty's royal service, because thus our
reenforcements will come more conveniently and with less expense to
the royal treasury. There will thus be an opportunity for rewarding
the persons who have served your Majesty here, as being also men
experienced and conversant in the business and affairs of this land,
and accustomed to the hardships to be encountered here. I think that
those who newly come will feel these hardships keenly, on account of
this country being, as it is, very different from other regions--as
your Majesty will see in the case of Diego de Artieda. [5] He came
on the _capitana_, in which he wished to return immediately after
having transacted his business, and having served your Majesty very
little, as your Majesty will, by this time, have full information and
account; and the cause, as far as it is known, has been his unsteady
disposition. I say this, that your Majesty may have the most important
information in this matter; and in everything your Majesty will act
as suits your pleasure.

When the Portuguese were in this harbor, it was learned that they were
trading and bargaining on the coast of China and Japan; and that it
was a business by which they were maintaining themselves, since it
was the most extensive and advantageous trade that has been hitherto
seen in any place where trade has been carried on. I am certain of
this from what I heard from them in general, and especially from
the captain-general and other persons in the fleet that came here,
mainly to learn what your Majesty is doing--a thing they strenuo