_ 234 _ He acted as he understood, and he understood very well that one who accepts help in order not to restrain his expenditure is weakened in the sight of the giver. How often the common good is in conflict with private interest. This oppresses the spirit and introduces pretence into matters which should be widely known. There are no tricksters who fail to obscure what is happening, but it is wrong to reward them or buy them off at the expense of the common good. With this in mind, Matias de Albuquerque persuaded the King to cease acts of tyranny which had formerly troubled the ordinary people. By seeing that his fortresses were in good repair and well-equipped, he ensured that the vassals in the King’s lands lived peacefully, accepting his new measures, free from the conflicts and damage normally inflicted by the King’s enemies. Matias de Albuquerque dedicated no less effort to matters concerning the King’s own person, by distancing him from dealings with men of suspect character, who might distract him from his duties with bad counsel. This meant that the King sent many of his intimates, people naturally inclined to accept the new ways, to the Count Viceroy to secure the peace and tranquillity of that State. For the same reason the King also ordered that weapons
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