_ 119 _ Item: Sir, the news that the Turks are preparing in the Strait to attack Ormuz was brought by foists which came from the Strait in May. The Viceroy continued to sleep. When it came to the beginning of September news arrived that the Turks were in Aden and that they were making for Ormuz; and the Viceroy slept. Then a cature came from Ormuz and said that the Turks had already passed Ras-el-Had, and that there were twenty-five galleys. Then they began to make preparations, but so slowly that the Turks had time to take Muscat, and capture sixty Portuguese. A certain António de Lisboa was Captain there, and he surrendered without fighting. If he had fought, he could have thwarted the whole might of the Turk, but he was a trader, who had bought the fortress with money. From Muscat they went to Ormuz and sacked the city and battered the fortress, and then went away towards Basra. All this happened through neglect and delay. On 20th November, when the Viceroy was dallying in Chaul with his fleet, Fernão Farto arrived from Ormuz with the news that the Turks had gone to Basra. All the time was spent in jousting and pleasure. Item: The only concern here is to amass as much money as possible by any and every means, from some by force and from others by will and by extortion. As for the
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