166 THE PORTUGUESE POLICY IN THE EAST as China, " or could more cheaply supply the royal arsenals in India. The ports were open, but his brother is kept as a hostage at Canton on account of the Portu- guese " slaying and robbing." The Indian settlements, which were the first destination of the adventurers from Portugal, perhaps suffered most. In 1549 things were going " from bad to worse " at Cochin to use the phrase of a letter from Cosme Annes to the crown and in 1552 the civic authorities of Gtoa at length laid their miseries before the king. " In India there is no justice, either in your viceroy, or in those who are to mete it out." The one object is " the gathering to- gether of money by every means." " There is no Moor who will trust a Portuguese." " Senhor, we beg for mercy, mercy, mercy. Help us, Senhor, help us 2 Senhor, for we are sinking."
