_ 567 _ those who had arrived from Portugal, of whom there were many. Two days Iater the marshal went to see the Viceroy. In the presence of the fortress captain, the factor, the chief alcalde and other officials, and of many nobles and knights, he told the Viceroy that he had been sent from Portugal to see Afonso de Albuquerque, whom the King thought was governor and that he saw that he had been deprived of his position and arrested. The marshal said he would like to know why this had happened, because he had been given the authority to appoint him governor, if necessary and he showed him the letters which gave him this power. The Viceroy said that Afonso de Albuquerque was not and had at no time been under arrest, and that he had gone to Cannanore only to avoid problems for he was not to govern India while the Viceroy stayed there. According to the king his master’s instructions. He then explained the reasons why he had not returned to Portugal, and said that he was about to leave, for which purpose he had prepared three ships, in case the fleet from Por tugal did not arrive, and since the fleet had arrived, thanks to God, he was ready to leave at once, as he had already bought all the merchandise required for the three ships to carry. He took the marshal’s letters (bearing the royal decrees), kissed them and held them on top of his head, and
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