Published online by Cambridge University Press: 05 August 2011
Whilst these things were being thus prepared, the king was full of care both day and night, as to whom he should entrust this so great enterprise; he was always praying the Lord, that if this affair was to be for His holy service, He would be pleased to show him the men whom it would please Him to send upon this voyage, with respect to which the king was occupied in constant thought. The grandees of the kingdom, seeing the preparations which the king was making for this fleet which he was going to send for the discovery, spoke to him about a few men who appeared to be fitting for this, but the king answered them, that he had them already decided upon. Many days passed thus, and one day the king sitting in his hall of business at a table with his officers, giving orders, by chance the king raised his eyes, and Vasco da Gama happened to cross through the hall: he was a gentleman of the household, and of noble lineage, son of Estevan da Gama, who had been comptroller of the household of the King Dom Alfonso, for in that time they took honour more from nobility of blood than from titles of Dom, which were not then customary amongst those who were noble by direct lineage. This Vasco da Gama was a discreet man, of good understanding, and of great courage for any good deed.
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