_ 186 _ “Frol de la Mar”, the “Taforea”, the two caravels, the two galleys and a galliot. The galliot and the galley sank off Ceylon, but I saved the crew and some artillery. I thus took five naus from Goa; four hundred men from India; two hundred Malabaris and the naus of Diogo Mendez with two hundred men, the majority of them Ireses and Negus from the riverbanks of Lisbon and Enxobregas; and the “Breton” with the mariners. Let Your Highness now examine the letters from your people in India and see Sir if they provide you with an account in the true, detailed manner of all your standing orders and better arranged than the account you required from me. This year no vessel sailed from Calicut because for the whole month of April, your fleet was at Calicut’s throat. With me absent in Malacca, Manuel de Lacerda departed from Cochin with the naus, and the enterprise of Goa caused me to abandon the coast of Calicut. Six naus set sail laden with spices, and Our Lord, in his compassionate mercy which always come to my aid without any merit on my part remembered my responsibility and obligation, and when the naus, whilst hugging the coast between Cape
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTg0NzAy