52 held prisoner in the palace or in one of its forts. So the King is without governing or acting on anything that is happening in the Kingdom. He is well served and well guarded, and should the King want to know something about governance and the treasure or want to be independent - they take him and blind him. They put him in a house with his wife and children (should he have any), and there they feed him and keep him in a state of great precarity. Then they take another boy (the youngest in line to the throne) - a son; brother; or the closest nephew. Then they put him in the fortress and palace and keep him there as their King. This way, they can peacefully rule and govern the kingdom on his behalf and the other heirs to the throne. When they grow up and reach the age to govern, if the governor believes that one of them wants to take part in what is happening in the kingdom, they take him and blind him and put him in the said house. This way they now have a house with ten or twelve blind kings, and the ruling one leaves in constant fear of meeting a similar fate. Whilst he is on the throne he always has armed guards and knights around him to protect and serve him. He pays them a very good stipend and they are allowed to always carry their weapons in court. Some he sends to guard his places on the mainland when he so needs. Gold and silver coins are minted in this city. a round coin like ours of excellent gold with Moors’letters on both sides called a xerafim is worth about three hundred reais. They are mostly made into halves which are worth about one hundred andfifty reais each. The silver coin is long like a bean and also has Moors’letters on both sides. It is worth about three vintens, the silver being very pure. And there are vast amounts of both these silver and gold coins in Hormuz. To the extent that all the ships that bring goods to the city, after having sold their wares and brought horses and asses taht they take to India, take all the rest back in these coins. They are widely used for trade in India and are highly valued. A fleet of the King of Portugal came to this kingdom of Hormuz.
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