for it, especially the province of Misteca, [58] where it could be
cultivated and woven admirably.

Admitting the above, my opinion is that, allowing that Nueva-España
could be maintained, although with difficulty, without trade with
the Philipinas, it must be by means that would prove harmful to those
islands alone--which would lose this aid without any resultant good
to España; since they would not ask for those products of España
which they at present demand, or increase those which they are now
exporting because of the increase of money [in Nueva España]. And we
have already stated that Nueva-España is incapable of consuming more
wine and oil than it now uses.

But if all this should cease, and España should have to supply the
above-mentioned necessities because of shutting the door to the trade
in the Philipinas, the bulk of silk stuffs would have to be brought
from Francia and Flandes, to whom España always gives her treasures
in exchange for this merchandise. For Constantinopla is so far from
Italia, and so little do gold and silver suit that route--or else
the French and the rebels [59] are so skilful in getting this product
away from us, that one may doubt whether they do not take it all with
them. According to this, he who is not suspicious enough to believe
that the merchants of Sevilla alone consider as enemies prejudicial
to your Majesty's crown those who do not trade much with them, should
be astonished that they direct and regulate the reform so that the
Chinese cannot avail themselves of the silver of Nueva España. For
it is a fact that the Chinese do us no other harm than to keep the
silver; and that the merchants do not consider that by that other
road all tends to come into the hands of him who exerts himself with
it in order to attempt and compass to acquire what remains.