_ 58 _ Malaca, and that you have favoured India for three years with people, arms, ships, stone masons, blacksmiths, carpenters and everything necessary to build strong fortresses. God will ease the suspicions and doubts that you harbour as a result of what you are told every day about India as well as the doubts some other people have about Indian matters - doubts which sometimes cause you displeasure. Let Your Highness not be fearful of the expenses incurred with wages and provisions because God will allow you to earn here enough money to cover these expenses, as I have already told you in writing, and if I am handed the profits earned by your fleet, the trading posts, spices and merchandise, I will pay the people their wages. There is a great wealth in India and if the expenses incurred with people and the ships were met with earning from the trading posts, Your Highness would realise how much is spent here on other things. Even the 200,000 cruzados needed to pay 4,000 men are nothing if we consider that the goods Your Highness ordered us to share, are worth 1,300,000 cruzados. And if God gives you Ormuz and Aden in addition to Malaca which you already control, there will be enough income to meet whatever expenses you may wish to run up.
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