_ 264 _ though it was written in the Persian language, but signed with his usual signature. He then immediately took advice as to how he should proceed in the matter. A few days after this happened, he gave orders for the shackles to be removed from the two Italians and he gave them an opportunity to escape, (though others say and he himself told them that he was setting them free and that they could go wherever they wanted). However, be that as it may, one night when our fleet was anchored in [Mouzique] shouts were heard from the land on the other shore which is commonly called Persia, though it is in fact Sophia and known to the Moors as Sophistan, which is the same as the Province of Sophia claiming they were fugitive Christians and begging them to pick them up. Dom Antão de Noronha, fearing that this might be some trick, gave instructions to shout to them to get into the water until it was morning so they would not be spotted. Dom Jeronimo de Castelo Branco who was nearest the shore, hauled in the anchor and reached land. He collected the two youths without Dom Antão de Noronha’s knowledge and took them to his ship at dawn. The captain-major received them well and they said that “they were Christians whom the Pasha had freed and
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