_ 518 _ serve Your Lordship, and because of the need that I know you will have of those who serve and help you. It seems to me a good idea to send this terrada to visit Your Lordship and for the factor to send you some items needed by the sick. Because the factor was unable to find some kinds of fruit in this city to buy, I agreed to purchase them from those who have provisions already prepared to send. I am dispatching them to Your Lordship with a Turk, for Your Lordship to visit the construction. When he is of no use there, he will be useful for transporting stone for it. When the catur that I sent to Your Lordship had left, one of the King of Basra's servants arrived in this fortress, with the letter I am sending there to Your Lordship. It is essential and vital for Your Lordship to attend to this matter if you can and if time allows. I wanted very much to take this step and now more than ever, because of the hatred that I bear him, and because a number of indications, such as the speed with which this detestable people showed that they knew about the siege of Diu, confirmed my suspicions. I have captured a factor of Khwaja Sofar and confiscated his possessions. I did not want to complain about any other merchants until I received a message from you. At the moment, there
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