t. The
governor and people continued their wonted perfidiousness; the former
being more careful in taking, and the latter in giving bribes, than in
paying our debts. We used a strange contrivance of policy to get in some
of these; for, when we went to their houses, demanding payment, and
could get none, we threatened not to leave their house till they paid
us. We had heard it reported, that, according to their customs, they
could neither eat nor wash while we were in their houses; and by this
device we sometimes got fifty _fanos_ from one, and an hundred from
another. They would on no account permit us to sleep in their houses,
except one person, with whom we remained three days and nights, with
three or four nayres. They were paid for watching him, but we got
nothing. The nayre, who had been appointed by the king to gather in our
debts, came to demand a gratuity from us, though he had not recovered
any of our money. He would go to the debtor's houses, taking three or
four _fanos_, and then depart without any of our money.

On the 9th of January, 1616, Mr Needham went to demand payment of a
debt, and being refused permission to pass by a nayre who struck him, as
he says, he gave the nayre a dangerous wound in the head with his sword,
of which it is thought he cannot recover, and others of the natives were
hurt in the fray. Word was presently brought to us to shut up our doors,
lest the nayres should assemble to do us some mischief, as feuds or
kindred-quarrels and murders are common among them, having no other law
or means of vengeance. Our nayre with his kindred, to the number of
thirty or more, with pikes, swords, and bucklers, guarded Mr Needham
home, on which occasion we had to give a gratuity. Our house had to be
guarded for three or four days and nights, none of us daring to go out
into the streets for money or other business for a week, though before
we used to go about in safety. After that, our broker advised us never
to go out, unless attended by a nayre, as they had sworn to put one of
us to death, in revenge for him who was slain.

The 20th, the Portuguese armado of thirty-four sail, passed by from the
south, of which fourteen were ships, and the rest frigates or grabs.
They put into the harbour, in which three Malabar frigates lay at
anchor, and a hot fight ensued, in which the Portuguese were forced to
retreat with disgrace, having only cut the hawser of one of the
frigates, which drove on shore and was s