_ 40 _ cargoes confiscated from the places and people who pay no taxes, with the exception of those places where I would collect the taxes. In this way we could achieve what we have failed to do everywhere, “Fiat pax in virtute tua et fiet habundancia in terribus tuis” [May peace result from your excellence, and may there be abundance in your lands]. And do not consider fighting or seeking revenge in Calicut or Quilon because like will continue there without any benefit accruing to you. As I said earlier, Cochim would not exist if you did not have such diligent captains (who luckily did better there than was done with Quilon and Malacca) who reached an agreement with them in spite of not trusting them. This is preferable to losing, and at times it is appropriate for great states to resort to great deceit. Pages 768-769 in full ..... this is what I thought about war and peace and other generalities. I also gave Your Highness news about some specific points which it is important for you to know, so that you may be aware of the manner in which I have served you here even though I know how little benefit it will bring to someone as unworthy as I, because, as Terence’s Parmeno said: “fabe hoc cudentur in caput meum” (I shall have to suffer for it). There is no reason for hiding the truth from the king.
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