_ 183 _ twenty years by Khwaja Babak Shah, an old and honoured man of much experience and integrity, one of the highest noblemen of the country, to whom no one can be preferred. This is not right, and in all conscience Your Lordship must order that no Portuguese is to be allowed to be given any other post in the customs house, and in particular that this one should not be taken from the person I have described who holds it, which is a matter of humanity and fear of God. As for the kingdom, the annual income is about forty-five or forty-six thousand pardaus sadis, which is expended with considerable economy, as Your Lordship can find out from the secretary who saw the revenues and expenditure. Up to now I have governed the country as well as I could. The city has been much improved and is at peace with all our neighbors. I made war during my time as best I could, and all thanks to God I succeeded in taking it from the Khan of Shiraz. I seized some fortresses from the thieves of Mughistan and another, EI Katiff, from [Abemjebre]. Another thing I built in the city of Ormuz is large and handsome bastion, and a stretch of wall which was finished recently. Our Lord the King has been fully and faithfully and loyally served in the customs house since it became his, and as for as
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