_ 50 _ The Serene King says that he agreed with what Your Highness orders to the Conde de Tendilla and D. Bernardo de Mendoza, to go to Gibraltar and Melilla and fortify them, and also to treat with the King of Vélez or with the Allide to have the rock. He thanks Your Highness for all the information you ordered to be given him, and also for sending them to see the fort of Saynar and other places of his, on which they gave their opinion to D. Alonso de Noronha, and I am sending to you. A caravel has arrived from his India with news of the death of D João de Castro, who was a very worthy gentleman and he is greatly missed, especially at this time when there is news that the Turks have won from the Moors a town called Adam, which is near another one they took last year called Basra. Both are in the part of the Strait where the Portuguese have their commerce and navigation, especially to Ormuz, which is in Persia, and the chief and most profitable possession of the serene King in those parts. It is said that this commerce will be lost or will be very difficult and not very profitable to keep. The Turks have twelve galleys on that coast and many men. It is much regretted that although there were said to be seven well-laden carracks coming this year, none has arrived as yet.
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