_ 155 _ against them, who recaptured the fortress from them and killed eighty Turks. The others fled to Basra. These two items of news mean that a great part of the arrogant power of these evil men who were coming to attack us is broken. I would remind Your Lordship that Basra is very close to this city. Although we have the most virtuous and valiant captain who has ever set foot in Ormuz, I am dissatisfied to see that he has so few Portuguese with him. Your Lordship must provide the men and equipment necessary for this fortress. These evil men did not come to Basra for love of the country of Basra, but they are brought by designs in their wills and hearts upon Ormuz. They are attempting to take [Gizar] and other places bordering Basra so that they can build their own warehouses there and their own fleet to attack Ormuz with supplies and men from Basra. May I remind Your Lordship that Aden is the key to all India; if I saw Aden in the power of the Portuguese, we should all live in safety, which is what I hope will soon occur with the help of the Lord God and Your Lordship’s good fortune and enterprises. It must be three months ago that a brother of the Shah’s together with the Turk attacked the lands of the Shah in order, it is said, to hand them over
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