ships, seeing the man of God, received him with respect. He made them
understand the present juncture of affairs, and earnestly besought them,
by the interests of their religion, and their country, to assist the town
against the common enemy of the Christian name, and the crown of
Portugal. And to engage them farther, by their particular concernment, he
let them see the danger into which they were casting themselves, in case
they should obstinately pursue their voyage; and that they were going,
without consideration, to precipitate themselves into the hands of the
barbarians.

They yielded to the reasons of the Father; and the next morning entered
the port amidst the shouts and acclamations of the people. After this,
there was no farther dispute of fighting the enemy; and the most timorous
came about to the opinion of the captains and the soldiers.

All things being in a readiness to set sail, the admiral, Francis Deza,
received the flag from the hands of Xavier, who had solemnly blessed it,
and mounted the ship of his brother George Deza, instead of his own,
which was already sunk. The rest of the captains, who had been on shore,
returned on ship-board; and, with the two newly arrived vessels, the
whole fleet consisted of nine, their number also being increased by fifty
men; they were in all two hundred and thirty Portuguese. The fleet went
out of port the 25th of October, with strict orders from the general not
to pass beyond the Pulo Cambylan, which is the farthest bounds of the
kingdom of Malacca on the west. His reason was, that since they were so
much inferior in strength to the enemy, who vastly outnumbered them in
men and shipping, their glory consisted in driving them from off their
coasts, and not in farther pursuit of them: That what hope soever we have
in God, yet it becomes us not to tempt him, because heaven is not
accustomed to give a blessing to rashness and presumption.