_ 149 _ Afonso de Albuquerque went, after dropping anchor, and was joyously received by the Viceroy, returning to sleep at the ship after supper was over. On the following day when he went ashore to hear mass and had lunch with the Viceroy, the captains who had arrived from Portugal that year, as well as Lourenco de Brito told him about the king’s letter, ordering him to hand the fortress over to Afonso de Noronha; or should the latter be absent, to Afonso de Albuquerque. After the meal he was left alone with the Viceroy, and the Viceroy told him about how the king had ordered him he return to Portugal that year, telling him to hand the governorship over to Afonso de Albuquerque. He also told him that this was only a part of the king’s instructions, and that all the details concerning how this should be affected would follow in the “St John” aboard which he use to [...]. The Viceroy said that once the ship arrived, he would leave, following the king’s orders. When Afonso de Albuquerque heard this, he decided to show him the letter in his possession(A), and to request the Viceroy to hand the governorship of India over to him and leave. He sent for the letter from his ship and asked Lourenco de Brito, Fernao Soares and Rui da Cunha to accompany him to the Viceroy. He said that he wished to (A) See chapter 30 (Bk. II).
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