The history of the Inquisition, as it is exercised at Goa written in French, by the ingenious Monsieur Dellon, who laboured five years under those severities ; with an account of his deliverance ; translated into English.

CHAP. VI. (Book 6)

The return of the Father Commissary. They remove me to Goa.

THE Commissary had not found me a Criminal in that Confession, which I went to make to him of my own accord, as I before said; and although he had found me a Criminal, yet ought I do remain free according to the Laws of the Inquisition. But as this was not the inten∣tion of the Governour and the Black Frier, this Father violating all these Laws, had accused me as Dogmatizing Heretick; he might have sent me to the Inquisition of Goa immediately after my imprisonment and if he had done so, I might have come out of Prison three months after, at the Act of Faith, which was performed in the December following. But this was not the intent of my Rivals, that I should be so soon at liberty, this is the reason why the Commissary, far from removing me immediate∣ly from Daman, departed himself that he might not receive my desires and complaints, and went to Goa as soon as he caused me to be arrested, from whence he returned not till after the Act of Faith, that is to say, till the end of December; and I know not whether he employed the four months which he made me pass in the P••ison of Daman, an commending me to the Inquisitor, as a Man very criminal, and very dangerous, whom it were necessary to remove from the Indies; rather I have reason to sus∣pect it, by the rigour which they affected to use in my condemnation, which appeared so extraordinary even in Portugal. The Commissary re∣turned then the 20th of December, with the little Fleet which goeth ordi∣narily in this Season from Goa to Cambaia, for to serve as a Convoy to the Merchant Ships. This Father who had order to cause all the Prison∣ers of the Inquisition to be embarqued upon, the Galliots, warned me to be ready to depart, when the Fleet should return from Cambaia.

Monsieur l' Able carre returning in the mean time from St. Thome, where was Monsieur de la Haye, and passing by Daman, having with much diffi∣culty obtained leave to see me, was so kind as to visit me in the Prison upon the Eve and the day of Christmas, which was that of his departure to Surrat. I writ to the Commissary, and desired him by diverse persons, that he would speak with me; but neither my Letters, nor the sollicita∣tions of those who interessed themselves for me could prevail with him; so much did he fear the just reproaches which I should have made to him upon account of his insincerity.

About the same time, a Portugueze, named Manual Vas, whom I had known very particularly▪ being accused of having a Wife of Portugal,

was arrested by order of the H. Office, and carried into the Prison where I was, for having married a second 〈◊〉〈◊〉 a month since at Daman.

My generous Protectress understanding that I was to be removed to Goa, failed not to prepare provisions for me, which might have suffered for a much longer Voyage than what I was to perform. At last, part of the Fleet being returned from Cambaia, the Commissary sent Irons and Chains for to put upon the feet of all those who were to be carried to Goa. The Negroes were chained two and two, except some which were so wasted with famine endured in the Prisons, that they wer•• forced in embarquing them, to leave them the liberty of their Feet, which yet they were not in any condition to make use of. As for the Portugueze and me, they did us the honour for to afford us separate Irons. The Commissary had also the Civility to tell me, that he left me the choice of two Chains, which were destined for his fellow Country-man and my self, and to make use of his Civility, I chose the most convenient, al∣though the heavier Chain. I went out of Prison with the rest, on the last of December, and was carried in a Pelangvin with the Irons on my feet, to the bank of the River, where I found diverse of my friends met toge∣ther, whom I had the liberty to embrace, and bid farewel to them. The Governour who was present, omitted nothing whereby he might per∣swade me of the sorrow which he took in my misfortune; and made a thousand counterfeit Prayers for my speedy deliverance and happy re∣turn. The sight of my friends and their tears, served only to augment my grief; but nothing was more grievous to me than the denial of taking leave of my Benefactress, whom I would have thanked for all her chari∣table care which she had taken of me; at last, aften many melancholly complements, they put me into a Boat, and I was carried into one of the Galliots of this little Fleet, which expected only the Orders of their General for to weigh her Anchors.