_ 50 _ Martim Afonso knew the reason for his coming, and he at once gave orders for him to be received and invited to be his guest. The Secretary thought this was a sign of mistrust and disembarked at once, and he was made very welcome by Martim Afonso. After this reception, the first thing he undertook was to conduct the investigation as the Governor had ordered, which he did with confidence. The information he found was very different from that which the Governor had received, because no one made any complaint but, on the contrary, many good things were said of him, because he was a virtuous fidalgo, kind and little inclined to greed. When the Secretary had written his report, he sent it to the Governor in a ship that was ready to sail, and told him that Martim Afonso de Melo was a gentleman who deserved great honours and rewards. The Governor wrote a letter of excuse to Martim Afonso himself in which he said he was delighted that all that had been said against him was false, and that he had expected no less of so honourable a fidalgo, asking him to send the Secretary to winter in Goa while he should remain as Chief Treasury Officer. It is said that Martim Afonso de Melo replied with some heat because he knew very well that the Governor would have been glad to find fault with him, and he said at one point in it that this might be a matter
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