_ 72 _ importance to this in Your Highness’s interest, because I assure you that the moluccas alone with its territories, if it is settled, is capable of supporting a very worthy kingdom, but as it is at present it will be lost entirely. The king has no better nor more certain and safe revenues in all India, and God forgive anyone who throws it away, for I assure you that it is a better thing than São Jorge da Mina, and the key to it can be carried safely in the belt although it is so far from Portugal, if it is well governed. Not only will there be no need to send money to take on cargoes of pepper, but it will keep five or six thousand soldiers in provisions in India. Furthermore, it will pay for itself. The Spaniards know this well, and because of this they have not forgotten it as much as it seems, for they wish nothing more than to find a way to return to New Spain. If they achieved this, obviously they would exploit the country. This must be prevented, and I know someone who would do it if he served the king of Portugal as well as he does the king of Spain. So that Your Highness may remember this, I will write what happened in my time here. Eight or nine months after I had come to this fortress the people of the country told me that two ships had arrived from Castile and that they had not allowed them to enter harbour until they knew what my orders were, because, God be praised,
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