ABSTRACT
The captains, upon intelligence that the great Afonso Dalboquerque had destroyed their remonstrance, in a few days’ time, when he was in the principal tower, giving orders about some things necessary for the work, sent to him by Antonio Fernandes, scrivener of the ship commanded by Francisco de Tavora, another remonstrance, signed by all except João da Nova, who refused to sign. Afonso Dalboquerque, being angry with them and their conduct, took the remonstrance folded up, just as it was given to him, without reading it, and ordered it to be placed beneath a stone of the doorway of the tower, which was just then being laid, which the mariners ever afterwards named the “doorway of the remonstrances”; and the captains became so angry at this that from henceforth they laboured continually to find means to fall out with him; and all they talked about when they met together, was how to injure the progress of affairs at Ormuz, and they said that he was a traitor, and was constructing the fortress to elevate himself by its means, and make himself lord of the kingdom, and that it was all their own fault, since they had agreed that the fortress should be built, though it was very injurious to the king’s interest, and that in the letter he had written to the viceroy (and of this Antonio do Campo was a true witness), he had sent word relating all sorts of evil stories about them, depriving them of their honourable character and services; and in these conversations they used to reprove João da Nova, asking him why he did not go off to India, as he was not under any obligation to remain. And, not content with these consultations which they held among themselves, 153each one of them in his own particular ship persuaded the seamen to take his part against Afonso Dalboquerque, affirming to them that he had robbed them of their share in the twenty thousand xerafins paid by way of tribute by the king; and that the king, D. Manoel, had given him written instructions in his orders, that of the first tribute which the conquered kings might pay, he was to give a share to every man in the fleet, but he had seized upon all of it for himself, in order to rise up in rebellion with the fortress as soon as it was completed, for he never intended to go back again to Portugal. When Afonso Dalboquerque became aware of these councils and consultations, by means of which the captains were labouring to procure all the men to rebel against him, and found that it was not sufficient to rouse their spirit for the business, to have told them frequently how well it would be to see in the windows of that fortress many ladies and bands of music, and to think of the great pleasure the king, D. Manoel, would experience when he knew that they had obtained possession of the kingdom of Ormuz, and built a fortress in it, thinking by these means he would excite in them a pleasure at the idea of helping them,—and because the chief reason at which they were dissatisfied with him was the letter which he had written to the viceroy, he ordered them to be sent for, and showed it to them, telling them they might see by it that it was not true what Antonio do Campo had told them, and he made to them many other justifying statements and explanations, as far as he could apologise, but they would receive none of them; but rather, like proud and overbearing men, gave him to understand in as many words, that that was not the letter, but he had written another. And they were so indignant at what Antonio do Campo had said of the letter, though it was not true, that Afonso Dalboquerque tore it up before them, and told them to write another of their own choice, and he would sign it; and so he parted from them, very much displeased at their refusing to accept his real exculpatory statements; and the principal in all this affair was Jorge Barreto, whom the others had already drawn quite over to their side. When Afonso Dalboquerque was departed, they ordered João Lopez, servant to Francisco de Tavora, to collect the pieces of the letter; and, although nothing more was written in it than an account to the viceroy of the then state of affairs at Ormuz, and how he had determined to maintain authority there, with a request that men, arms, and artillery might be sent him, they, perceiving this determination of Afonso Dalboquerque, agreed, as the matter was very important, not to go to India for three years, and to give up loading their holds, as they had arranged, and from thenceforth to plot all the more mischief against him.
