But At Length,
Overpowered By Numbers, He And Two Of His Cousins Who Fought Along With
Him Were Slain, Together With Most Of His Faithful Followers.
When this melancholy event was announced to the rajah of Cochin, he
fainted from extreme grief, and was for some time thought to have
actually expired.
At this time, the naires were much exasperated against
our men, to whom they attributed the overthrow and death of prince
Naramuhin, and the desperate situation of their country, and seemed much
inclined to have put the Portuguese to death, or to have delivered them
up to the zamorin. On the recovery of the rajah, and learning the designs
of his people against our men, he called the Portuguese into his presence;
he gave them assurance that even this reverse of his affairs should not
alter his resolution of protecting them, both against the zamorin and his
own subjects. He then addressed his assembled naires, urging them not to
stain his honour and their own by injuring the Portuguese, whom he and
they had sworn to protect. He exhorted them to persevere honourably and
bravely in defending their country and preserving their honour inviolate
to the Christians, and comforted them with the assurance that the
Portuguese fleet would soon arrive with sufficient reinforcements to
drive out the zamorin and to restore him to his dominions. In the
meantime, he proposed that they should retire with what force remained,
into the isle of Vaipi, which was of difficult access; and where they
could defend themselves till the arrival of the Portuguese fleet, more
especially as the winter was at hand, which would stop the progress of
the war for some time.
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