ABSTRACT
The King of Arracam thought that the Portuguese, having lost their chief Captain, Paulo do Rego, would no longer have the courage to defend themselves, especially as there had now come to his assistance, the Prince of Tangu and his two brothers, and also a brother of the King, who, with sixteen thousand fighting men, six hundred horses, and eighteen elephants were ready to lay siege to the fortress by land, whilst he himself with his armada attacked it from the sea. Accordingly, both he and the Prince his son sent messages to our Captain-General, Philippe de Brito. The Prince in his message said that the General would do wisely, seeing that Paulo do Rego was dead, to come and speak privately with his father, and that he himself would intercede for him, in return for the kind treatment he had received whilst a prisoner in his hands in the fortress of Siriam. The King’s message was to the effect that, as he had been joined by a large force from Tangu, our General could no longer escape defeat, and that if he would come and throw himself at his feet he would pardon him, and would give him the fortress and make peace. In response to the Prince, Philippe de Brito said that he appreciated his desire to oblige him, but that he would reserve it for greater things; and that if he thought that the loss of one Captain would prevent him from holding the fortress, the issue of the war would very soon undeceive him. To the King he replied that his promises of peace were only made to be broken; that it was unnecessary for him to receive the fortress at his hands, since he held it for His Majesty the King of Portugal, to whom, as his vassal and Captain, he had given his allegiance; that of the coming of the Princes of Tangu he made no account, for experience had taught him that their forces, like those of the King himself, were of little worth; that he would be only too pleased if he would summon other friendly kings to his aid, so that there might be some credit in holding the fortress, within which, he said, he had every expectation of entertaining His Majesty, as on a previous occasion he had entertained his son.
