_ 353 _ Hamid had the artillery in their power. It seemed to Afonso de Albuquerque, before he took over the government of the kingdom, that they were the most absolute ministers, who between them, after the death of Rais Hamid, would take possession of everything. Nevertheless, when they perceived that in claiming the rest of the tribute which the King owed from past years, Afonso de Albuquerque demanded an account of the all the sources of revenue of the kingdom, required the artillery, and also an account of the King’s expenditure, it was a great problem for them. It seemed to them that what Afonso de Albuquerque wanted was to pass the responsibility of collecting the revenue of the kingdom to the officials he had in the fortress, and little by little, to remove them from their positions. They persuaded the King of this end gave him to understand that, however bad a man his governor might be, under his administration the King would at least have control of what was his. That fortress would consume his whole estate, and it was in God’s hands if it were not to be more. By saying this they appeared to be caring for the King’s person, estate and treasury.
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