should leave the country in which you were born, and where you have dwelt so many years, from fear of vain reports.  Such conduct were even disgraceful for women, and is therefore much more so for you who are men of wisdom and experience.  If you should be disposed to remove from hence when you shall actually be in danger, I should hardly blame you:  But to do so before that danger is apparent, and even before a single battle has been fought, must proceed either from cowardice or treachery.  You all well know, that only a very short while ago, a very small number of our Portuguese defeated thousands of those same enemies who now threaten to invade us.  You may allege that we were then more in number than now, which was assuredly the case.  But we then fought in the open field, where numbers were necessary; and we now propose only to fight in narrow passes, in which a small number will suffice as well as a multitude.  You already know that I can fight, as it is I who have done the greatest injury to the enemy in the late war, which the rajah can well vouch.  As for me I shall never yield, and I have more to lose, being overcome, than any of you.  Put your trust therefore in me and my troops, and remain where you are till you see the event of our defence.  Your sovereign remains in his port, and wherefore should you go away?  I and the Portuguese who are with me, remain in this far distant country to defend your king, and you who are his natural born subjects:  Should you then desert him and your country, you would disgrace yourselves and dishonour me, by refusing to repose confidence in my promise to defend you against the zamorin and all his power, were it even greater than it is.  Wherefore, I strictly enjoin that none of you shall remove from Cochin, and I swear by all that is holy in our faith, that whoever is detected in the attempt shall be instantly hanged.  It is my determined purpose to remain here, and to have the port strictly watched day and night that none of you may escape.  Let every one of you, therefore, look well to his conduct, and be assured, if you do as I require, you shall have me for your friend; but if otherwise, I shall be your mortal enemy, and shall use you worse even than the zamorin.”

The Moors endeavoured to clear themselves from what had been alleged against them, but Pacheco would not listen to their excuses, and departed from them in anger, and immediately brought his ship and one of the caravels with two boats, which he anchored directly opposite the city of Cochin, with strict charges to let no one leave the city by water.  He likewise appointed a number of paraws to guard all the creeks and rivers around the city; and ordered every boat that could transport men or goods to be brought every night under the guns of his ships, and returned to their owners in the morning.  In consequence of all these precautions, the people of Cochin were so much afraid of him, that not one of the Moors or Malabars dared to leave the city without his permission, and henceforwards continued quiet.  Notwithstanding all these cares, Pacheco used to make nightly invasions into the island of Repelim, where he burnt the towns, slew the inhabitants, and carried away much cattle and many paraws; on which account the Moors of Cochin, astonished that he could endure so much fatigue, gave out that he was the devil.