_ 15 _ Melinde had done. If he did this there would be peace for ever, in his city and in all his ports, and if he did not the city and all the ports on that sea would be destroyed; and because the town belonged to the King of Ormuz he would before long have to promise obedience and pay tribute; and so he should call a council and see what they wished. When the Sheikh and the merchants heard this message, they were very afraid, and they held a council. The sheikh’s answer was that it was in his hands to do whatever he wished, for good or for bad but that the town belonged to the King of Ormuz, and he was his servant, and all who were there; and since he said that if the King of Ormuz promised obedience he would agree peace with him for ever in his city and ports, he should go on his way. If the King of Ormuz made himself a vassal of the King of Portugal and agreed peace with him, then his ports and towns would be free as he said; and if the King of Ormuz did not do so and made war on him, then when he returned here he would obey his in everything because he had no power to defend himself, and he would yield to him all the revenues from land and sea. The Captain-in-Chief saw that the answer was a good one, but he had determined to cause all the destruction, death and devastation he could in these ports so that the
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