wee haue iette, amber, cristall, iasper, and other like stones, so haue they rubies, diamonds, balasses, saphires, Iacincts, and other like. And though some say that of such precious mettals, graines or kind of spices, and precious stones, the aboundance and quantitie is nothing so great, as our mettals, fruites or stones aboue rehearsed: yet if it be well considered, how the quantitie of the earth under the equinoctiall to both the tropicall lines, (in which space is founde the said golde, spices and precious stones) to be as much in quantitie, as almost all the earth from the tropickes to both the poles: it can not be denied but there is more quantitie of the said mettels, fruites, spices, and precious stones, then there is of the other mettels and other thinges before rehearsed. And I see that the preciousnesse of these thinges is measured after the distance that is betweene vs, and the things that we haue appetite vnto. For in this nauigation of the spicerie was discouered, that these Ilandes nothing set by golde, but set more by a knife and a nayle of yron, then by his quantitie of Golde: and with reason, as the thing more necessarie for mans seruice. And I doubt not but to them shoulde bee as precious our corne and seedes, if they might haue them, as to vs their spices: and likewise the peeces of glasse that heare wee haue counterfayted are as precious to them, as to vs their stones: which by experience is seene daylie by them that haue trade thither. This of the riches of those countries is sufficient.
Touching that your Lordship wrote, whether it may be profitable to the Emperour or no, it may be without doubte of great profit: if as the king of Portingall doth, he woulde become a merchant, and prouide shippes and their lading, and trade thither alone, and defende the trade of these Ilands for himselfe. But other greater busines withholdeth him from this. But still, as nowe it is begunne to bee occupied, it would come to much. For the ships comming in safetie,there would thither many euery yeere, of whiche to the Emperour is due of all the wares and Iuelles that come fromthence
