Devoted the greater
part of my life, and have constituted the preparation for this work my
sole recreation. Since my residence in the university of Coimbra, in
the service of your highness, I have joined together all these
informations; which, together with the duties of my office, have
caused much toil both of body and mind. Having now accomplished the
composition of this book and others, I most humbly offer the same to
your highness; and, after many and most fortunate years of governing,
I pray God to take you from the transitory seignory of this earth, and
to receive you into the perpetual joys of Heaven.
_Hernan Lopes de Castaneda._
SECTION I.
_Previous steps taken by the King of Portugal, John II. preparatory to
the Discovery of India._
Don John, the second of that name, and thirteenth king of Portugal,
considering that all spices, drugs, precious stones, and other riches
which came from Venice, were brought out of the east, and being a prince
of great penetration, and high emprize, he was greatly desirous to
enlarge his kingdom, and to propagate the knowledge of the Christian
faith to distant regions. He resolved, therefore, to discover the way by
sea to the country whence such prodigious riches were brought, that his
subjects might thereby be enriched, and that his kingdom might acquire
those commodities which had hitherto been brought by way of Venice.
