_ 24 _ that might arise, he kept everything to himself and sought to remedy everything with his good sense. He took care to say nothing of this to João da Nova because if he did, he would have to execute justice, and he determined to keep the Captains apart so that they could not have these consultations. He summoned them and told then to go and circle the island, taking good care that nothing either came in or went out, because they had brought the city to such straits that it would have to give them all the treasure and riches it had. The Captains said “That is so already, they will give what we ask. Sometimes when things are done contrary to reason, everything is lost, and so if they were prepared to make a good agreement, it ought to have been accepted so as to spare us more trouble, for we are running short of the things essential for war, and the ships can only just stay afloat.” The Captain-in-Chief understood what lay behind this talk and said to them “I agree with what you say, which is what I know, and I am ready to do everything in the service of the King our master. Let us put pressure on these enemies of ours so that they will surrender. Accordingly, I entreat you to keep this watch with which I entrust, because I hope in Our Lord that soon this will be finished, with a good agreement and of great profit to the King.”
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