_ 557 _ with the axes they had brought with them for the purpose, began to cut through the surrounds to pull the gates out and to tear off their rich panels of gold and silver. At this as many as five hundred moors and Nairs sprang out with resounding cries. They launched a fierce attack on our men, firing their artillery towards the sea but none of our men was injures by this. Our men vigorously fought off the moors with their lances and there was a great battle. But seeing the wounds inflicted by our lances, weapons which they had never come across before, the Nairs of Calicut withdrew inside and positioned themselves among the houses once more. It was not yet fully morning, and they could hear the Marshal’s men approaching along the shore. The Marshal heard the artillery fire and the shouts and he saw that the Governor had got there ahead of him. Then he saw a great fire, caused by our men setting fire to the houses among which the moors had withdrawn. Seeing all this, he was overcome with anger and in high dudgeon cried out, “Now I believe the reputation of Afonso de Albuquerque. The Viceroy was right, and I was wrong”. He began to move more quickly but as it was getting light, men appeared in great numbers from between the houses and attacked him. These were in the main archers firing arrows
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