_ 45 _ everyone cries out [for food] and if they do not receive it, they have nothing to eat. He who rules the country is aware that he does not have what is needed to meet so many expenses, and he sees them ever increasing. God knows how much it hurts me to write this to Your Highness, but I do so because it is fitting that I do not conceal it from you. I wrote to Your Highness that if I thought it in your interest [for] some carracks belonging to illicit dealers to sail, they would do so at your request, [laden] with coir and with a Moorish crew but without a Portuguese master or pilot, and that I would give this town some carracks, believing that the town would be grateful to me for it. I have now summoned him [the ruler] and, in Your Highness’ name, granted him the favour of receiving four carracks [laden] with coir, equipped with your permission, with Moorish sailors but without Portuguese masters or pilots, and that these carracks would sail from here to Ormuz. These were to be assigned to the four men who had Performed the greatest service to Your Highness and who had lived in this town for three whole years. The four people to whom the carracks were to be allocated would be
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