Something has been done by the governor of these islands, Don Francisco Tello, in which the auditors also must have been concerned.  A ship was sent from these islands to China, and, as I understand—­your Majesty will learn the facts by other means—­it sailed to a port very near to the town of the Portuguese.  If God and your Majesty provide no remedy, this expedition will be the total destruction of what is held here by the crowns of Castilla and Portogal, with great offense to the faith, or the destruction of preaching and conversion.  It is most difficult of correction, for there are interested in this matter first, the governor; secondly, the auditors; and thirdly, their followers and ministers.  I hope, God helping, that all the good works which have been commenced here will not be abandoned for aught but the interest and profit of those who, according to right, should not regard their private welfare, but the common good, and the service of God and their king.  In this I do not refer to the present auditors and governor, for I do not know what they have done of good or of bad in this despatch to China, but I speak of what is their custom and what is infallibly done by governors and auditors, unless they are people very much devoted to God’s service.  There are few if any persons that come who do not destroy this land, by sending much money to China.  Of this there is no doubt, and every day more light is shed upon the subject.  From this vessel sent to China is resulting the total destruction of the Portuguese town called Macan.  Its sole support consists of the trade carried on there with the Chinese, exporting goods thence to Japon and elsewhere.  By means of the friendly relations between the Portuguese and the Chinese, they succeed in buying the stuffs very cheaply, and by the little which is afterward gained in Japon and other places, these people are supported.  Even should we go there, we have not that success in business, that concord among ourselves, or that patience and phlegm, and we seek greater profits.  Necessarily, we must greatly increase the price of the goods—­more especially as the Chinese are very shrewd traders; and on seeing our ship there laden with money, and knowing that it could not return empty, they may raise the prices at their pleasure.  As the profits of the Portuguese are not so great that they can afford to suffer this, they must therefore give up that trade, and abandon that town, which has no other means of support, thus leaving the Christian Chinese to return to their idolatries and mingle again with the heathen.

From this great and evident wrong, follow others even greater; for whatever of Christianity there is in Japon, and the beginning which your Majesty has there is supported solely by the traffic of the Portuguese of Macan with Japon.  When Macan is lost, Japon is destroyed.  The other parts of India which have traffic in Chinese goods, and in goods which are carried to Espana—­such as porcelains,