The ships being equipped and ready, as I have said, one Sunday the king went with the Queen Dona Maria to hear Mass, which was said pontifically by the Bishop Calçadilha, who also made a discourse in praise of the voyage, and holy design of the king in regard to the new discovery which he was commanding to be made; and he called upon the people to pray to the Lord that the voyage might be for his holy service, and for the exalting of his holy faith, and for the increase of the good and honour of the kingdom of Portugal. When the Mass was ended, at which the good brothers and their associate were present, richly dressed, and to whom the king shewed great honour and favour, as they stood close to the curtain, where also were the principal lords of the realm and gentlemen of the court, the king came out from the curtain, and spoke to the captains who placed themselves on their knees before him, and they spoke to him, saying: “Sire, the honour we are receiving from your Highness is so great, that with a hundred bodies and lives which we might expend in your service we never could repay the least part of it, since greater honours were never shewn by a sovereign to his vassals, than you have done us, as the great prince, king, and lord that you are, with such magnanimity and honour that, if at this very moment we should die, our lineage would remain in the highest degree of honour which is possible, only because your Highness has chosen and sent us for this workwork, whilst you have so many and such noble vassals to whom to commit it: for which we are already recompensed before rendering this service, and until we end our lives in performing it. For this we beg of the mercy of the Lord, that He direct us, and that we may perform such works that He, the Lord, and your Highness also, may be served in some measure in this so great favour that has been shown us, as He knows that such is our desire; and should we not be deserving to serve Him in this voyage, and so holy undertaking, may the Lord be pleased that we may pay with our lives for our shortcomings in the work. We promise your Highness that our lives will be the matters of least moment that we shall adventure in this so great favour that has been shewn us, and that we will not return before your Highness with our lives in our bodies, without bringing some certain information of that which your Highness desires”