_ 39 _ our fleet arrived, he sent a message to the Captain-in-Chief telling him not to come ashore to do him harm because he had fighting men to prevent him landing, and he must not expect to do there what he had done elsewhere. The Captain-in-Chief replied to the messenger that he should go and tell his captain that he had not come there to do him harm but only to agree perpetual peace if he would become a vassal of the King of Portugal, who was the Lord of India; and that what the King of Ormuz received every year should be paid as tribute to the King of Portugal. If he agreed to this, he would be a friend to him in every way, and if he did not, he could be certain that he would land and do what he had done in other towns. He told him to take good counsel in this, because he was going to do the same at Ormuz; the Captain-in-Chief said he would wait all day for his answer, and if none came the next day he would dine on land. When the captain heard this message, he called together the Regents and the elders and they talked in council. They agreed to do all that the Captain-in-Chief wished, taking into account that our men were going to capture Ormuz, and that if they took it, then all the ports and towns would be subject to the King of Portugal; and if they did not take Ormuz they would have to return to India and
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