_ 363 _ see him. One day when he felt better, in order to make sure that the city was secure, for many of the measures for its defense were untried, he sent for all his captains. He was afraid that something might happen to him, and that there might be disputes among us as to who should succeed him. He pointed out to the captains the condition in which he found himself. The illness from which he was suffering was very dangerous for a man of his age. Wishing to obey the dictates of his conscience and to serve his Lord, the King, he wished to appoint a person to succeed him in his office, in case God should take him, until his Lord, the King should make appropriate provision. He asked the captains as men faithful to God and loyal inservice to the King to accept the nomination he was about to make, and to trust him to know from what he had experienced at his time of life, and from his condition at the present moment, that men must not lie to God or to their King. He said this and many other things which moved all the captains to compassion, so that, when he had finished, they all promised to support whatever he did. He then had a document drawn up in favour of Pero de Alpoem, but in secret, as became evident later, he nominated his nephew, Pero de Albuquerque.
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