The Portugues Asia, or, The history of the discovery and conquest of India by the Portugues containing all their discoveries from the coast of Africk, to the farthest parts of China and Japan, all their battels by sea and land, sieges and other memorable actions, a description of those countries, and many particulars of the religion, government and customs of the natives, &c. : in three tomes / written in Spanish by Manuel de Faria y Sousa ... ; translated into English by Cap. John Stevens.

CHAP. I.

The Government of D. John de Castro, from the Year 1545, till the Year 1548, in the Reign of King JOHN the Third.

1. ABOUT the latter end of August, or beginning of September, Arri∣ved * 1.1 at Goa six Ships from Portu∣gal, Commanded by Don Iohn de Castro, who went to Ease Martin Alfonso of the Government. Immediately (as is Customary in India) Complaints were car∣ried to the New Governour against the Old.

The chief, the Crying-down the Value of Money; which was immediately restored to its former Value. This gave occasion to Martin Alfonso to go away dissatisfied, and the other to remain so upon the manner of his Discontent, falling out after having very well agreed. These Governours, and their Governments, seem to resemble the Soul and Body, which never part without great struglings.

2. Don Iohn began his Government as is usual, sending Commanders and Officers to several Forts and Towns. Bernardin de Sousa went to succeed Iurdan de Freytas, at Ternate, carrying with him the King Aeiro, to hold that Crown till other Orders came from Portugal, it being left to our King by the deceased Tabarija, as was said before. Ferdinand de Sousa & Tavora, who was sent against the Spaniards, Commanded by Vil∣lalobos, reduced him to a necessity of sur∣rendring himself, and continuing at Ternate till the Season of sailing for India, where he and his Men might either remain in the Portugues Service, or return in their Ships to Europe. This Difficulty surmounted, Sousa resolved to take Revenge of Cata∣bruno, King of Gilolo, for the Injuries he did the Portugueses and New Converts since he Tyrannically usurped the Crown, killing his Lawful Sovereign.

3. Sousa consulted his own Men, and the new Guests, who approved of his Resolu∣tion, and Villalobos offered to bear him Company. They made up Four hundred

Spaniards and Portugueses, and Fifteen hundred Ternatenses. Coming to an An∣chor in the Port, they found the Tyrant ready to receive them, well fortified and provided with Cannon. The Christians began to batter them; but received more damage than they did. Sousa perceiving there was no way, but by giving an Assault, gave the first of the Attack to Iohn Galvan and Bernard de la Torre, the first a Portugues, the other a Spaniard, who sticking in the Thorns the Tyrant had designedly strewed about, and scarce able to move, stood as a Mark to the Enemies Bullets and Arrows. Catabruno Charges them with Three thou∣sand Men. Sousa comes to their Relief, and the Fight was desperate; for both Spaniards and Portugueses did Wonders. Night part∣ed, and Morning brought them together; the Dispute was hot, till Galvan being killed his Men were put in disorder; all our Body came to their Relief, and brought them off, forcing the Enemy to retire to their Works. Our Captain seeing no likelyhood of pre∣vailing, returned to Ternate; whence he went to India with the Spaniards, as had been Agreed, only Villalobos excepted, who died in the Fort.

4. Coje Zofar, at Cambaya, now his Princes Favourite, kept a fair Correspondence with the Portugueses; but with the natural Per∣fidiousness of a Moor. He persuaded the King a second time to endeavour the shaking off the Yoak of the Fort of Diu, and to this effect drew together a great

Number of Men; yet had more hopes to succeed by Policy, than strength. He agreed with an Infamous Portugues, called Ruy Fre•…•…re, to poyson the Cistern, fire the Magazine, and upon a Sign given admit him into the Fort. An Ethiopian, a Turk and a Woman Slave, discovered the Trea∣chery. Coje Zofar was astonished to see his Design discovered, and began to Comple∣ment D. Iohn Mascarenhas, Commander of the Fort; pleading, That the Cause of breaking the Peace had been, because they obstructed building that Wall, which D. Gar∣cia de Noronha had so weakly allowed, and Emanuel de Sousa had couragiously beat down. Coje Zofar dissembled while he gathered a great Power, and D. Iohn perceiving the Dan∣ger that threatned him, prepared to meet it, and gave Advice thereof to the Governour and Neighbouring Commanders.

5. A considerable number of Men was already drawn together in the City Diu, and among them Five hundred Turks, sent from Mecha by the King of Zibit. D. Iohn assigned every Man his Post, and placed an Officer with 30 Men in each of the four Bastions; his Lieutenant over the Gate with Twenty, another with the like Number in a small Work; reserving Fifty for him∣self to be wherever the greatest Danger called. This was the Number of Men he had, and thus ordered, when Coje Zofar came on with all his Power, resolving to attack the Bastion of the Sea, with three Castles built upon a Ship of prodigious

bigness, well stored with Cannon to batter the Wall. Within the Castles were Two hundred Turks, who were to distract the Desendants by pouring in continually all sorts of Artificial Fire-works. This Design succeeded not, for our Commander having notice of it, sent Iacome Leite to burn that Ship. He took twenty Men in two Vessels, and though he set out by Night, was dis∣covered; yet did not desist, but coura∣giously went on and set fire to it; then re∣tiring, saw a great part of it fly into the Air, with most of the Turks, the Remainder casting such a Flame, as at a distance disco∣vered the Enemies Army running in Bata∣lions to quench the Fire. Iacome seeing them in Clusters, let fly his Cannon and killed many of them. In this Action he had seven Men wounded. He went on to the Mouth of the River, and took from the Enemy some Vessels of Provision, with which he returned to the Fort, much admired of all.

6. Coje Zofar began to build the Wall, that had been before beat down, which could not be hindred, though our Cannon killed many of the Workmen; but was brought to such perfection, that he planted •…•…hereon Sixty great Cannon, besides many small, and one of such extraordinary big∣ness, that it shook the whole Island, and made pieces of the Fort fly; it was managed by an expert French Renegado. At this time arrived D. Ferdinand de Castro, Son to the Governour, sent by him with some

Relief of Men. Mascarenhas wanted some Intelligence from the Enemies Camp. Iames de Anaya Coutino, a Gentleman of Note and Man of great strength, knowing of it, at Night putting a Helmet on his Head, with a Sword by his side and Spear in his Hand, let himself down the Wall, and lying close at some distance from the Fort, discovered two Moors, who being come up to him, he killed the one with the Spear, and taking up the other in his Arms run with him to the Gate of the Fort, and calling threw him in, to the great admiration of those that beheld it. This was much; but what follows is more: He had borrowed the Hel∣met he carried, and promised on the word of a Gentleman to restore it, or dye. In this Scuffle it fell off, and he mist it not till the Owner asked for it. He said nothing; but letting himself off the Wall again, went to look for, found and restored it. Nothing could be more brave; nothing more honou∣rable.

7. The King came from Champanel with Ten thousand Horse, to see (as Coje Zofar said) that place taken. This caused an ex∣traordinary Motion in the Army, and D. Iohn desired to know the cause of it. Six of our Men sallied out at Night and fell among sixty Moors, who were all asleep, whereof they killed some, and the rest waking at the Noise, as also some that were not far off, our Men were forced to retire, leaving two dead; the four brought a Pri∣soner with them, who informed our Com∣mander

of what he desired. This Action incensed the King and Coje Zofar, so that they renewed the fury of their Batteries, and did much harm. The Renegado Frenchman was struck dead by a chance Dart, and the Gunner who succeeded him being Igno∣rant, did more harm to his own Party, than to us, which was some Revenge. All the Neighbourhood resounded with the Noise of the Cannon and Cries of dying Men, when a Bullet of ours falling in the Kings Tent, sprinkled him with the Blood of one of his Favourites who was near him, and beaten to pieces. This so terrified the King, that he instantly fled, leaving the Command of the Horse to Iuzarcan, a Va∣liant Ethiopian.

8. Coje Zofar pressed the Besieged, and there was great slaughter and destruction on both sides; the more visible and dange∣rous in the Fort, by reason of its little Com∣pass, and the small number of Men. Mas∣carenas appeared wherever there was dan∣ger, as hoping to gain no less Honour than Antony de Silveyra had done there a few years before. He was no less Fortunate in couragous Women; for those that were in the Fort encouraged the Men; assisted and relieved them at the work. And when the Turks entred the Walls, one of them hearing they were got into a House, run in with a Spear and fought till Mascarenas came and put them all to the Sword.

9. Coje Zofar omitted nothing that could be devised to fill the Ditches, and lay open the Fort. All industry was used on our side to repair the Breaches. The prime Gentry did the Duties of private Souldiers and Masons, the Walls and Bastions were ruined at Night, and repaired by Morning. Coje Zofar was astonished to see all he destroy∣ed restored. Coming on in a Rage with fresh Men, a Cannon Ball took off his Head and right Hand, whereon he leaned it. Thus he fulfilled his Mothers Prediction, who being at Otranto, still persuaded him to be recon∣ciled to the Church, and perceiving she prevailed not, superscribed her Letters to him thus: To Coje Zofar my Son, at the Gates of Hell. His Son Rumecan succeeded him as well in Wickedness, as the ardent desire of taking that Fort. He took upon him his Father's Command, and inherited his For∣tune. Our Commander was obliged to send fresh Advice to the Governour at Goa, and the Captains of the Neighbouring places. A Priest was the Messenger, who run very great danger, the Sea at that time being scarce Navigable. But then Portugal had some Decij, and some Reguli: Now it has only the grief of wanting them.

Notes

• * 1.1

  1545.