Some Time
Afterwards, The King Of Cambaya Gave Permission For The Portuguese To
Erect A Fort At Diu, On Condition That He Might Do The Same At Malacca.
At This Time There Arrived Two Ships From Portugal, A Third Having Been
Cast Away In The Voyage, But The Men Saved.
Albuquerque went to Goa, and
sent his nephew Noronha to Cochin to dispatch the homeward bound trade,
along with which an ambassador was sent from the zamorin to the king of
Portugal, peace being now established with that sovereign, who permitted
a fort to be erected at his capital.
By these ships likewise were sent
the presents of many of the Indian princes to the king of Portugal,
together with many captives taken in war. There went also a Portuguese
Jew, who had been an inhabitant of Jerusalem, and had been sent by the
guardian of the Franciscans to acquaint Albuquerque that the Soldan of
Egypt threatened to destroy all the holy places at Jerusalem.
Pate Quitir, the native of Java, who had been preferred by Albuquerque
to the command of the native inhabitants of Malacca, continued to carry
on measures for expelling the Portuguese, and having strengthened
himself secretly, at last broke out into rebellion. Having slain a
Portuguese captain and several men, and taken some pieces of cannon, he
suddenly fortified the quarter of the city in which he resided, and
stood on his defence with 6000 men and two elephants. Ferdinando Perez
and Alfonso Pessoa went against him with 320 men, partly by land and
partly by water, and after a long contest forced him to flee for refuge
into the woods after many of his men were slain. A considerable quantity
of artillery and ammunition was found in that part of the city which he
had fortified, which was burnt to the ground after being plundered of
much riches. Having received succour from Java and Mahomet, the expelled
king of Malacca, Quitir, erected another fort in a convenient place at
some distance from the city, where he became powerful by sea and land,
being in hopes of usurping the sovereignty of Malacca. Perez went out
against him, but though he fought as valiantly as before, he was forced
to retreat after losing three captains and four soldiers. At this time
Lacsamana, an officer belonging to Mahomet, entered the river of
Malacca with a great number of men and many cannon on board several
vessels. Perez attacked him with three ships, and a furious battle took
place which lasted for three hours, with much advantage on the side of
the Portuguese, but night obliged the combatants to desist, and Perez
took a position to prevent as he thought the Malayans from escaping out
of the river during the darkness. But Lacsamana threw up an intrenchment
of such respectable appearance during the night, that it was thought too
dangerous to attempt an attack, and Perez retired to the fort. At this
time three ships entered the port from India, bringing a supply of
ammunition and a reinforcement of 150 soldiers; but Lacsamana had
established himself so advantageously, that he intercepted all the
vessels carrying provisions for Malacca, which was reduced to such
straits that many fell down in the streets from famine.
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