_ 532 _ give him the best guidance because of their experience in Indian affairs. It was his wish that they did this in writing so that each, after pondering deeply on the matter at his leisure, would be able to explain clearly and more at length what he thought about it. The men from whom he sought this advice, present as well as absent, were Martim Afonso de Sousa, D. Estevão de Gama, Antonio da Silveira, who had been captain of Diu during its first siege, Rui Lourenço de Tavora, D. Jeronimo de Noronha, D. João Mascarenhas, D. Alvaro de Castro, D. João de Castro's son, Fernão Rodrigues de Castelo Branco. Jorge de Lima, Antonio Correia, Fernão Peres de Andrade, Aleixo de Sousa and Francisco de Sousa Tavares. The King sent the views of all these men to Pero de Alcaçova Carneiro, his secretary, to present to the Viceroy D. Afonso. When all had been well received, what the King wanted him to do in this question of Basra, was the following: First of all, he should immediately attend with great diligence to strengthening the fortress of Ormuz, because although he had news, through letters of D. Manuel de Lima, who was at that time its captain, that it was so strong that it would be able to defend itself well, he should still work to make it even stronger and in a report that he had sent to him about this, he said he should increase the
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