Page:History of India Vol 6.djvu/171

 THE FATE OF COCHIN AND QUILON 123 1503, being still weaker than Cochin, fared worse. Cer- tain disturbances having taken place at Quilon during the absence of the queen, the church of the old St. Thomas Christians is in 1516 to be rebuilt, according to the terms of a treaty dated September 25, 1516, and the Christians favoured as formerly, and treated " even better, if that can be." It was further agreed, four years later, that if any native " whether Gentile or Moor or any other description whatever should wish to become a Christian, that he be free to do so without any one preventing him, or any obstacle offered what- ever." The death of the Portuguese factor at Quilon, for which the disclaimers of guilt by the queen and her chiefs were accepted, was punished by a fine of two hundred thousand pounds of pepper. By the treaty of 1520 the St. Thomas Christians were further protected, and received a site under the guns of the Portuguese fortress; the monopoly of all pepper grown in Quilon was secured to the Portuguese king; and all Portu- guese ships were to pay their dues to him. Finally, in 1548, it was conceded that the Portuguese were to be exempt from dues " in the quays of the sea, where the embarcation takes place for Cochin." The Portuguese hold on the Persian Gulf was in like manner tightened. In 1515 Albuquerque com- pleted the fortress at Ormuz. By the treaty of 1523, the Portuguese are to pay no dues at Ormuz except on exports, and the whole kingdom of Ormuz is to be delivered up on demand to the King of Portugal. Mean- while in each year Ormuz shall pay in lieu of giving