overy and
find great things, as he hoped they would be found, to serve our Lord and
the Sovereigns.

Yet, just at the best time, the thread was cut, as will appear, of these
his good desires, and he says thus: "Our Lord guides me by His pity and
presents me things with which He may be served, and your Highnesses may
have great pleasure, and certainly they ought to have pleasure, because
here they have such a noble thing and so royal for great princes. And it
is a great error to believe any one who speaks evil to them of this
undertaking, but to abhor them, because there is not to be found a prince
who has had so much grace from our Lord, and so much victory from a thing
so signal and of so much honor to their high estate and realms, and by
which God may receive endlessly more services and the people of Spain
more refreshment and gains. Because it has been seen that there are
infinite things of value, and although now this that I say may not be
known, the time will come when it will be accounted of great excellence,
and to the great reproach of those persons who oppose this project to
your Highnesses; and although they may have expended something in this
matter, it has been in a cause more noble and of greater account than any
undertaking of any other prince until now, nor was it proper to withdraw
from it hastily, but to proceed and give me aid and favor; because the
Sovereigns of Portugal spent and had courage to spend in Guinea, for four
or five years, money and people, before they received any benefit, and
afterward God gave them advantages and gold. For certainly, if the people
of the kingdom of Portugal be counted, and those of them who died in this
undertaking of Guinea be enumerated, it would be found that they are more
than half of the kingdom;[352-1] and certainly, it would be the greatest
thing to have in Spain a revenue which would come from this undertaking.
Your Highnesses would leave nothing of greater memory; and they may
examine, and discover that no prince of Castile may be found, and I have
not found such by history or by tradition,--who has ever gained land
outside of Spain. And your Highnesses will gain these lands, so very
great, which are another world,[352-2] and where Christianity will have
so great pleasure, and our faith in time so great an increase.[352-3] All
this I say with very honest intention, and because I desire that Your
Highnesses may be the greatest Lords in the world,[352-4] I say Lo