He Answered, That He Was Ambassador From The King Of Portugal,
The Most Powerful Of The Christian Sovereigns In The West, Both In Extent
Of Dominions, Numbers Of People, And Riches.
That he and his predecessors,
hearing that there were Christian kings and princes in the Indies, of
which the
Zamorin of Calicut was the chief, were exceedingly desirous of
sending some of their captains to discover the way, that they might enter
into friendship with the king of this country as brothers; and for this
reason he had been sent to his highness: Not that the king his master had
any need of his riches, having abundance already and more than was needed
both of gold and silver and other valuable things. That all the former
captains who had been sent at great charges upon this discovery, after
having employed a year or more in vain and having consumed all their
victuals, had returned again into Portugal. But that the present king Don
Manuel, being anxious to bring this great enterprize to a successful
conclusion, had entrusted him with command of three ships well supplied
with provisions, commanding him not to return to Portugal without
discovering the way to the Christian king of Calicut, and would certainly
order his head to be cut off if he returned without fulfilling his orders.
The said king his master had given him two letters to deliver to his
highness, which he would present next day as it was now somewhat late;
when he would convince his highness that the king of Portugal was his
friend and brother, and should request of highness, in confirmation of
friendship, to send an ambassador to the king of Portugal, as was the
custom among Christian princes.
Enter page number
PreviousNext
Page 552 of 812
Words from 153100 to 153389
of 224388
