John n. of Portugal, who, by the discovery of the passage
by the Cape of Good Hope to the eastern tidies, of which he
was even then in pursuit, shortly afterward seized the initia-
tive and hoped to acquire a monopoly, in the trade of spice,
of precious gems and gold, fi'om the rich regions of the Ori-
ent, reeded not, nor had the desire,^ix> open a fresh channel.
Digitized by VjOOQIC



• HENRY VII. 267

whether to the same or to some other mart of tropical wealth,
when to d« so would but create a rivalry, to tlie detriment of
his own subject.
