[The original document contains a marginal abstract of each of the four points that follow; but these abstracts are here omitted.] _First point_.

This point contains in brief the substance of all the others.

In explaining it, I declare that the navigations from these kingdoms to those islands are so worthy of consideration, and so important, that no others in the world at this time are equal to them.

For the drugs, fragrant gums, spices, precious stones, and silks that the Dutch enemy and their allies bring thence--obtained partly by pillaging, and partly by trading in their forts and factories which they own throughout that archipelago--amount, as they do at present, to five millions [of pesos] annually.

It has been stated how paramount is this undertaking to any others that can today be attempted; for besides the spiritual injury inflicted by those heretical pirates among all that multitude [of heathen peoples] (which I think the universal Master has delivered to your Majesty so that you may cultivate it and cleanse it for His celestial granaries), it is quite certain--since the enemy are collecting annually so large a mass of wealth; and since the sinews of war consist in that, both for attack and defense--that they are acquiring and will continue to acquire those riches daily, with greater forces.