He was but recently arrived, and knows but little of the natives; but he is full of zeal, and it would be well, I think, were we to make an arrangement of which he would perfectly approve; so that his report, when he reached Goa, should be altogether favorable" The governor agreed to this proposal, and decided to send a party down to the shore, in the morning, to bring the priest up to the castle.
Early in the morning, a large crowd of natives were seen at a short distance.

In their hands they held boughs of trees, and waved them to express their desire to enter into negotiations.

The governor, however, fired two or three shots over their heads, as a signal to them to keep farther away, as their advances would not be received.
Then, while a party went down to the shore to fetch the priest, he again sallied out and drove the natives before him.
When the holy father arrived another council was held, and he was informed that the people were ready to treat, and asked what, in his opinion, should be the terms imposed upon them.

He heard the arguments of the governor, in favor of allowing them to return to their island, but he said: "In my opinion it is essential, above all things, that they should be forced to accept Christianity." At this the Englishmen, and indeed the two Portuguese officers, could with difficulty repress a smile; but the governor at once saw that a wholesale conversion of this sort would do him much good with the authorities at Goa, and he therefore willingly fell into the priest's views.
The next morning the natives again appeared with their green boughs; and the governor, with the officer, the priest, and a body of ten soldiers, went out to meet them.

The King of Ternate advanced, and bowed himself submissively to the ground, and expressed his submission; and craved for pardon, and for permission to return with his people to Ternate, promising solemnly that never again would they meddle with the Portuguese settlement.
The governor, who spoke the language fluently, having been there for some years, uttered an harangue reproaching him with his folly, and wickedness, in wantonly declaring war against the Portuguese.
He pointed to the destroyed plantations, and asked if any punishment could be too great for the ruin caused.
The king and his councilors offered to pay large tributes, annually, of spice and other products, until the ruined plantations were again in bearing.
"This will not repay us for the losses we have suffered, and for the evil spirit which you have introduced into this island.
"We have, however," the governor said, "only your interests at heart; and therefore we have decided to pardon you, and to allow you to return to your island, upon the condition that you and all your people embrace Christianity, and pay such a tribute as we may impose." The king had no understanding of the meaning of what was proposed to him, and the governor said that he and his people were, in the morning, to assemble before the castle, and that the holy father, who had been sent on purpose to turn them from the wickedness of their ways, would then explain the doctrines of Christianity to them; that if they accepted and believed what he said, pardon would be theirs; if not, they would be hunted down until all were destroyed.
Next morning the assembly took place in front of the castle gate.
The King of Ternate, surrounded by all his principal councilors and warriors, took his place, while the fighting men stood around him.
The priest mounted on the platform of the wall, the governor standing beside him to interpret.
The Englishmen, much amused at the ceremony, stood at a short distance off.