PORTUGUESE HISTORY OF MALACCA. 121 



that every one hastened on board their ships to endeavour to 

 defend themselves from this new and unwelcome guest. 



A boat came off with a message from the town, to inquire 

 who they were and what they wanted, to which Lopez sent 

 back for answer that he brought an ambassador from the 

 King of Portugal, to propose entering into a treaty of peace 

 and commerce advantageous for the king and city of Ma- 

 lacca. The king sent back a message in dubious language, 

 such as is usual among the Orientals when they mean to act 

 treacherously, as some of the Moorish merchants, from enmi- 

 ty to the Portuguese, had prevailed upon him and his favourite 

 Bandara, ( 1 ) by means of rich presents, to destroy Lopez and 

 the Portuguese. On the third day, Lopez sent Hierom 

 Teixeyra ( 2 ) in the character of ambassador, attended by a 

 splendid retinue, who was well received on shore, and con- 

 ducted on an elephant to the king, from whom he returned 

 well pleased. All this was only a bait to entrap the Portu- 

 guese to their destruction, and, in addition, the king sent an 

 invitation to Lopez to dine with him in public. Lopez accept- 

 ed this invitation, but was informed by a friend of Jao ( 3 ) 

 UtimCti Rajah, that the king intended to murder him, on 

 which he sent an excuse on pretence of indisposition. Credit 

 was now given to an advice sent by a Persian woman to 

 Duarte Fernandez, after she had been prevented by Sequeira 

 from coming on board in the night. 



Another contrivance was put in practice to destroy Lopez 

 and his ships, by offering a lading of spice, and pretending 

 that it was requisite to send for it to three several places. 

 This succeeded in part, as, while thirty men were sent on 

 shore according to agreement, a fleet of small vessels was 

 secretly prepared under cover of a point of land, ready to 

 assault the ships, while the thirty men were to be murdered in 



(*) Bandahara. 



(' 2 ) This name is also still represented. 



( 3 ) This is probably for " Jawa," UtimIjTi Raja being Chief of 

 the Javanese, who were said to nnniber 5,000 to 6,000 in Malacca 

 at that time. 



