The most important thing that presents itself is the great and
excessive expenditure which is incurred by my royal exchequer in
the islands of Maluco, for, according to information received,
it amounts to two hundred and twenty thousand pesos; while I have
not any profit in all those islands, for the Dutch enemies buy all
the cloves and other drugs at a much lower cost, whence they derive
great profits--as is evident from the forces which they use to get
possession and make themselves masters of those islands. And it is the
general opinion of zealous, unbiased, and trustworthy persons that
my servants, captains, and other officials who have governed those
islands, with a commission for their own profits and investments,
have taken advantage of the opportunities and trade which they should
have maintained and secured for my royal exchequer's increase, and
have charged to it all the expenses, they alone having received the
profits, without considering that a large part of what the enemy gains
is lost to my treasury through lack of faithful service. As this matter
is so worthy of correction, and so necessary for the preservation of
those islands and the aid of their expenses, I command you to apply to
this evil the remedy which I may expect from your loyal zeal, showing
yourself entirely disinterested in whatever concerns yourself and your
senator, so that you may be an example for the rest. You are free to
investigate the offense which any servant of mine may have committed
in this matter, and this I order you to do.
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