He Said Their Conduct In Trade And Otherwise While In
Calicut Was Quite Satisfactory To All Except The Moors, Who
Were envious
against them for interfering in their trade, and accused them falsely of
taking pepper against the will of
The owners, which in fact they had done
themselves to prevent the Christians from loading their ships; nay that
this was so evident that even the zamorin had licensed the Portuguese to
take the pepper from the Moorish vessels. After which the Moors had risen
against them, slaying their men and seizing all their goods. Yet, after
all these outrages, they had given the zamorin a whole day in which to
offer reparation, and had not sought revenge of their injuries
treacherously like the Moors. That he saw no cause of going to war
against the rajah of Cochin for receiving the Portuguese into his city
like any other merchants who might frequent his harbour, as had likewise
been done by the rajahs of Cananor and Koulan, who would not have done so
if they had been robbers and pirates. And if the zamorin meant to drive
the Portuguese from the Indies, besides making war on Cochin, it would be
necessary for him to do the same against Canauor and all the other
princes on the coast.
The zamorin was a good deal staggered by the discourse of Nambendarin,
who had much credit and authority with him; insomuch, that it is thought
he would have desisted from prosecuting the war, if it had not been for
the Moors and the caymals, who represented that it would be a great
disgrace to his character to recede after the assemblage of so great an
army, and that it was to be expected the rajah of Cochin might now agree
from fear to do what the zamorin had desired him. The zamorin then
desired his sorcerers to point out a fortunate day for marching forward
with his army, which they did accordingly, and promised him an assured
victory. With this assurance, on which he placed great reliance, the
zamorin departed from Panani, and took possession of Repelim, which is
four leagues from Cochin.
The rajah of Cochin had regular intelligence of all that passed in the
camp of the zamorin by means of spies, and was in great trouble
respecting the event, not having sufficient force for his defence, as
many on whom he most relied had gone over to the enemy. Even those who
remained served against their inclination, more especially the
inhabitants of Cochin, who abhorred our people, and said openly that it
were proper the rajah should either deliver them up to the zamorin or
send them away from Cochin, to avoid the impending war. Many of the
inhabitants of Cochin deserted the place for fear of the consequences.
The members of the Portuguese factory were much alarmed by all these
circumstances, and requested permission from the rajah to withdraw to
Cananor, where they might remain in safety till the arrival of the next
fleet from Portugal; hoping by this means to remove the cause of war, and
to satisfy the subjects of the rajah.
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