ve understood its importance to
themselves. The possibility of this can be easily understood, for they
could not persevere so long with their own forces only, if they were
not privily incited by the secret enemies of your Majesty, and those
who are envious and fearful of your greatness--who clearly recognize
that, if they could possess that archipelago without opposition,
it would be worth more to them than eight millions clear (as I will
demonstrate to whomsoever may be curious or may desire to know it),
through the profit which they can make in spices, drugs, and the
trade with Great China, Japon, and the neighboring countries.

The fourth is, because straightway the whole of Portuguese India
would be infallibly lost; and, if it is not lost, it is because we
so harass the enemy from Filipinas that they need all their forces
in order not to lose what they hold.

The fifth is the knowledge (as is evident) of the immense wealth which
lies in the Filipinas, as I shall explain further in this treatise,
and which hitherto has been unrecognized.

The sixth would be the loss of the most convenient and important
post which your Majesty holds in all his kingdoms, not only for the
extension of the holy gospel in so many kingdoms of idol-worshipers who
are capable of receiving it, but, as these are in the neighborhood of
the Filipinas, the hope, consequently, of enjoying the immense wealth
which they possess through their trade and commerce--not to mention
the risk which is incurred by the Western Indias through the South Sea.

Chapter II. Wherein those are answered who believe that the Filipinas
should be abandoned, or traded to the crown of Portugal for Brazil.

The lack of knowledge regarding the Filipinas and the gains which may
be obtained with them has been the cause for many of the servants of
your Majesty, and other prominent persons, having a poor opinion of
them. Accordingly it has seemed to such persons more expedient to be
rid of those islands, and to others that they should be exchanged
with the crown of Portugal for Brazil. All the reasons which they
give for this may be reduced to five: The first is that there is
a drain upon your Majesty's royal patrimony for their maintenance,
and you derive no profit. The second is to avoid the flow, through
that method of maintaining them, of silver from Nueva Espana to Great
China, by cutting off commerce with the latter country. The third
is on account of the tro