for
all nations may and do come freely to Ormus, as Frenchmen, Flemings,
Germans, Hungarians, Italians, Greeks, Armenians, Nazarenes, Turks,
Moors, Jews, and Gentiles, Persians, and Muscovites. In short, there is
no nation they seek to trouble, but only ours; wherefore it were
contrary to all justice and reason that they should suffer all nations
to trade with them, and forbid us. Now indeed I have as great liberty as
those of any other nation, except it be to leave the country, which as
yet I desire not. But hereafter, and I think ere long, if I shall be
desirous to go from hence, that they will not refuse me licence. Before
we were suffered to come out of prison, I was forced to put in sureties
for 2000 pardaos, not to depart from hence without licence of the
viceroy; and except this, we have now as much liberty as any one, for I
have got back our goods, and have taken a house in the chiefest street
called the _Rue drette_, where we sell our goods.

There were two causes which moved the captain of Ormus to imprison us,
and afterwards to send us to Goa. The first was because Michael Stropene
had most falsely accused us of many matters. The other was, because when
Mr Drake was at the Molucca islands, he caused two pieces of cannon to
be fired at a Portuguese galeon belonging to the king, at least so they
allege. But of these things I did not know when at Ormus. In the same
ship which brought us to Goa, came the chief justice of Ormus, called
the veedor general of that place, who had been there three years, so
that his time was expired. This veedor is a great friend to the captain
of Ormus, and sent for me into his chamber, one day after coming here to
Goa, and began to demand many things at me, to which I made answers.
Among other things, he said that Mr Drake had been sent out of England
with many ships, and had gone to Molucca where he loaded cloves, and
finding a Portuguese galeon there belonging to the king, had shot two
pieces of his great ordnance against her. Perceiving this grieved them
much, I asked if they meant to be revenged on me for what had been done
by Mr Drake: To which he answered no; though his meaning was yes.

He said moreover, that the captain of Ormus had sent me to Goa, that the
viceroy might learn the news from me respecting Don Antonio, and whether
he were in England or not; and that it might possibly be all for the
best my being sent hither; which I trust in God may so fall out, though
contra