_ 94 _ live there. Of Moors, Jews and Hindus there are over forty thousand souls apart from the Persians, Turks, Moguls and other heathen merchants who come and go with their merchandise. His Majesty has a customs house in Ormuz which was given to the Kings of Portugal by the Kings of Ormuz, with the statement expressed in the two firmans copied above. Even before the kings made this gifts customs house belonged to the Kings of Portugal because the Kings of Ozmuz had become vassals of Portugal by force of arms, and after they had rebelled once Afonso de Albuquerque vanquished them yet again in 1514. Besides, as the Kings of Ormuz were subject to those of Portugal and we had a fortress there, and they were not a liberty bear arms, the Kings of Ormuz were not able to keep the sea open for merchants who came with their goods, and paid dues. The principal reason why kings can levy dues in the customs houses is because they are obliged to keep the seas open for merchants, with fleet against pirates and law on the land. Once the Kings of Portugal had taken Ormuz and made the king a vassal, the dues were theirs by right because it was the Kings of Portugal and not those of Ormuz who kept the sea clear of robbers by force of arms. After the
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