_ 297 _ the shipyards, they divided themselves among all the ships and set about equipping them without fuss or interfering with each other, because the tasks were well organised. Then the first thing that the viceroy did was to dispatch two light ships, one to go with letters to the cities and fortresses of the north and to private individuals, in which he described the present emergency, asking them to help with men and ships. The other ship, whose captain was a Fernão Farto, a fine gentleman and a very experienced seaman, was to go to Ormuz with letters to the captain, in which he informed him that he was already at sea and would soon arrive. The viceroy continued to hurry things up, giving orders to collect supplies and to organize munitions and everything else that was needed for the expedition. And because the State was short of money, he had decided to have recourse to the city, just like the governors and viceroys always did. As the councilors were in the Council chamber, he went there, accompanied by the captains and ancient nobles, and seated in his place he made them [a long] speech. When the speech was over, the oldest councilor stood up and replied in the name of all, that they clearly saw how
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