Regarding their manner of war and soldiers, you must know that from the beginning, the Portuguese have had continual war with the Malabars, who are the pirates of the Indian seas, also with other Indian kings and peoples, for example those of Arabia, the kings of Sumatra, Java, Jor, which is on the terra-firma of Malacca, and other islands of Sunda, and of the coasts and continent of all the Indies. And now that the English, Hollanders, and other foreigners have taken the course of Indian navigation, this has brought a new war upon their hands, a war that has reduced them sadly, and is like to ruin them, insomuch that they have been constrained to reinforce their naval armies. For all their war is on sea and not on land, whereof they hold none. Sometimes, however, they have a war with some individual kings of the continent, who have broken the peace and the treaties mutually agreed upon. In such case they put armies in the field, and calling out their levies from the towns and fortresses. But for their armies on sea they have perpetual employment, two being armed and equipped every year, as I have said.

For the protection of all the coast of India, from Goa to Cambaye, and sometimes as far as Ormus on the one side, and Cape Comorin on the other, to prevent the raids of the Malabar pirates, they equip two armadas at Goa, one of which, called Armada del Nort, goes as far as Ormus; the other, Armada del Sud, goes as far as Comorin.