even said that they rouge and color their faces.  It is said that the king of that land is so great a lord, that his camp is composed of three hundred thousand men, two hundred thousand of whom are mounted on horses.  On painted articles I have seen pictures of horsemen armed with coats of mail, Burgundy helmets, and lances.  The country is so fertile and well provisioned, that it is believed to be the best country in the world.  The Moros with whom I have talked have told me that the Chinese are not as warlike as we are, and are heathens.  They possess matrices [70] with which they have printed books from time immemorial.

If your Majesty desires to have this land explored, I am at your service provided I be given two ships of about two hundred and fifty tons each, with forty soldiers to each vessel, and all the artillery, ammunition, and provisions that will be necessary.  Then, with our Lord’s help, and bearing some power of ambassador to the lord of the land, I will enter the country myself, returning by way of Nueva Espana after having explored the coast.  I will ascertain how both trade and conquest must be carried on there.  I will carry out all other orders that your Majesty may be pleased to give me, as well as whatever your service shall demand.

Southeast [S:  west] by east from the island of Zubu are the islands of Maluco, where cloves are found; and it is not known whether they exist in any other regions.  They lie below the equatorial line The names of the islands in which cloves are found are:  Maluco, Gigolo [S:  Jilolo], Maquian, Motel, and Momoy.  Near those islands [it is said is one called Sunda, which contains pepper.  To the east of those islands], at a distance of one hundred and twenty-five leagues, is Nueba Guinea, and three hundred and thirty-two leagues west of them is the island of Burney.  This island is well-provisioned; and according to what some Moros, natives of Burney, told me, it belongs to one lord.  It is said that there are a great many pearls of enormous size, even as large as pigeon’s eggs; but my opinion is 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.