Lacsamana Then
Hung Out A Flag Of Truce, And Sent A Deputation To Treat With Botello,
Who Answered That He Would Listen To No Proposals Till They Restored
Pedro De Abren The Portuguese Ambassador, Whom They Kept Prisoner; And
As They Delayed Compliance; The Portuguese Cannon Recommenced A
Destructive Fire.
On the last day of November, Botello got notice that
_Marraja_ the Acheen admiral was slain, and that the king _Pam_ was
approaching to the assistance of the Portuguese with 100 sail of
vessels.
Botello went immediately to visit him, and was received with
the customary ceremonies used by the eastern princes to the Portuguese
governors. After interchanging presents and mutual compliments, Botello
returned to his post, where he found the Portuguese rather slackening
their efforts in consequence of a desperate cannonade from the enemy.
But on the 4th of December, the enemy sent fresh proposals for an
accommodation, accompanied by the ambassador Abreu, requiring only to be
allowed to withdraw with three of their gallies and 4000 men, being all
that remained of 20,000 with which they had invested Malacca. In answer
to this, they were told they must surrender at discretion on promise of
life; and as Lacsamana hesitated to accept such humiliating terms,
Botello assaulted and forced all his works, where many of the enemy were
put to the sword; some throwing themselves into the river to swim across
were drowned, and others who fled to the woods were devoured by beasts
of prey. In fine, Botello obtained the most glorious victory that was
ever gained by the Portuguese in India; as of all the fleet which came
against Malacca, not a single vessel got away, and of the large army,
not one man escaped death or captivity.
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