_ 68 _ them. He had told him not to return to Portugal until he discovered this Christian King, and if he did return he would have his head chopped off. However, if he did find him, he was to present him with two letters, which he would hand over the next day. He thus instructed him to say by word of mouth that he was his brother and friend. In reply to this the king said that he was welcome and that he therefore considered him his brother and friend and that he would send ambassadors to Portugal with him. The captain then asked him as a favour, to take some men from his country with him, since he did not dare appear before the King his Lord, unless he had brought some. These and many other things passed between the two inside the room, and as it was already very late, the king asked him whether he wanted to lodge with Christians or Moors. The captain replied, neither with Christians nor Moors, and he requested the favour of having a lodging assigned exclusively to him in which there was no one else. The King said that he would make these arrangements, whereupon the captain took his leave of the king and made his way to a veranda where we were waiting, on which there was a large pewter candlestick that provided us with light. This would have been about four o'clock in the morning.
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