In this city are churches with bells,[306] but there are no priests, and the divine offices are not performed nor sacrificial [masses] celebrated, but in each church there is a pillar holding water, in the manner of the fonts holding our holy water, and a second pillar with balm. They bathe once every 3 years in a river which is near the city.[307] The houses in this city are of stone and mortar, in the Moorish style, and the roads laid out and straight as are these.[308] [_An Audience._] And the king of this city is waited upon in grand style (molto altamente), and keeps regal state, having his chamberlains, door-keepers, and barons,[309] as also a very sumptuous palace. When the captain of the said vessel arrived at the city the king was away at a castle at a distance of about 6 leagues, and having been informed that Christians had arrived he at once came to the city attended by about 5000 persons.[310] After the lapse of 3 days the king sent for the captain, who had stayed in his vessel. The captain, with xii of his men, went at once, and about 5000 persons accompanied him from the shore as far as the palace of the king, at the gate of which stood x doorkeepers with silver-mounted sticks. Having entered he proceeded to a chamber where the king reposed upon a low couch. The whole of the floor was covered with green velvet,[311] whilst around it was drapery of variously-coloured damask. The couch had a very fine white coverlet, all worked with gold thread, and above it was a canopy, very white, delicate and sumptuous. The king at once asked[312] the captain what he had come to seek. The captain replied that it was the custom among Christians that when an ambassador had to deliver his message to a prince he should do so in secret and not in public. The king, upon this, ordered all his people outside. The captain then said that the King of Portugal had long since heard of his Highness (alteza) and that he was a Christian king. Being desirous of his friendship he had been ordered to visit him, as was the custom between Christian kings. The king received this message (ambascata) most graciously, and ordered the Christian captain to be lodged in the house of a very rich Moor. [_Moorish Merchants._] In this city there reside many very wealthy Moorish merchants, and all the trade is in their hands.[313] They have a fine mosque[314] in the square of the town. The king is, as it were, governed by these Moors because of the presents which they give him; and owing to their industry[315] the government is wholly in their hands, for these Christians are coarse people. [_Spice Trade._]