should help the Spaniards to win all the kingdoms in the neighborhood,
of which there are more than twelve; for I have always heard this from
him, and further that he wishes to be a Christian and that his whole
kingdom should be Christian. Accordingly, pondering over what means we
could use to advise your Lordship of all this--as you are a person so
jealous of the honor of God and the service of his Majesty, and are in
a position to remedy it all; and, with so good and certain an ally,
would win all those rich kingdoms and reduce to the holy Catholic
faith so many thousands of souls, which are being lost, not by their
own fault--we noticed that the king of Sian had been much pained by
the death, before he had seen it, of the horse which was brought from
your Lordship. And, considering the great pleasure which he took in a
philosopher's stone, we promised him that if he would send me to this
country I should bring him back a large horse and mare for breeding,
and a philosopher's stone a cubit long, which he had said he would
prize much. Out of desire for these things, he ordered that I be sent
back; and told the fathers that they on his behalf should write to
your Lordship--for he is so arrogant that he even sets no store by
writing. He ordered to be given to me, to present to your Lordship,
two elephants and an ivory tusk, which I have already delivered to your
Lordship. After I set out upon the voyage I underwent many hardships,
as I arrived at Malaca with ill weather, and when the chief captain
found what message I was carrying and learned my intentions in the
matter, he wished to interfere with me and detain me and stop the
voyage. He attempted to take the elephants from the junk, in order to
send them to Goya, and to take me prisoner. And in fact I suffered in
the said city and fortress of Malaca, more hardships and hindrances
than among the heathen before I was sent on the road with these
letters to bring to your Lordship, as appears more at length by the
information which I have given your Majesty for the remedy of all this.