Don Garcia Enriquez, Who Then Commanded At The Moluccas, On
Learning The Arrival Of These Spaniards, And Finding That They
Occasioned The Spice To Rise In Price, Went In Person To Expel Them, But
Was Obliged To Retire With Considerable Damage From The Spanish Cannon;
Yet The Spanish Ship Afterwards Sunk.
At this time Don George de
Menezes, formerly mentioned as having lost his hand in the glorious
action at Calicut, arrived at the Moluccas, having discovered the island
of Borneo and many other islands by the way.
Soon afterwards two ships
were sent to Borneo with presents for the king, among which was a piece
of tapestry adorned with figures of men. On seeing these, the ignorant
barbarian cried out that they were enchanted men, who would kill him in
the night; and no persuasions could convince him of his error, nor
would he receive the presents or permit the Portuguese to remain in his
port.
In the year 1527, it being understood at Cochin that Pedro de Mascarenas
was on his way from Malacca to assume the government, Lope Vaz de
Sampayo who acted ad interim, held a council of the principal
officers, at which it was resolved not to admit Mascarenas to that high
office. After this determination, Sampayo sailed for Goa, leaving
Alphonso Mexia to command at Cochin, with orders to execute the
resolutions of the council. On landing unarmed at Cochin, Mascarenas was
opposed and wounded by Mexia; and proceeding afterwards to Goa, be was
made prisoner and put in irons by order of Sampayo.
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