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. VI.

The Government of the Viceroy D. Martin Alfonso de Castro, from the Year 1604 till 1607.

1. DON Martin Alfonso de Castro en∣tring upon the Government, gave some signs of being ambitious of Glory, but Fortune was not favourable to him, or, as some say, his own Humour was an im∣pediment. Therefore let us proceed with the Affairs of the Conquest of Pegu.

2. Ximilica King of Arracam considering his Son was Prisoner, thought good to treat with Nicote, and he, to come to an agreement the better to make his advan∣tage of the Profits of the Custom-House, sent Advice of all to Goa, and received Orders thence to return the Prince without any Ransom. But Interest being his great∣est aim, neither Obedience to the Viceroy, nor the Respect he owed that King, whose Creature he was, could prevail to hinder him from selling that Prince for 50000 Crowns, pretending it was for the Charge of the Fleet the King had obliged him to fit out.

3. The King of Arracam justly offended hereat, set out a small Fleet against Siriam, which was easily defeated, but gave him oc∣casion

to enslave 100000 Christians, and treat them with great rigour; which never∣theless moved not many of them, though but new Converts. Afterwards he combines with the King of Tangu, who Besieges the Town with a great Army by Land, while he shuts it up by Sea with 800 Sail, in which he had 10000 Men. Paul del Rego, met him with 80 Ships, and failing of the suc∣cess he had formerly, setting Fire to the Powder, blew up himself and all that were with him, rather than fall into the Hands of the Enemy. The Siege continued so long, till the besieged were ready to surrender, when on a sudden upon some suspicion the King of Tangu quits the Field by night, and he of Arracam found it to no purpose to lie longer upon the Sea.

4. Some of the neighbouring Princes startled at this success of Nicote sought his Friendship, and an Alliance with the King of Portugal. The first that effected it was the King of Tangu. Nicote marries his Son Simon to a Daughter of the King of Martavam, thereby to strengthen himself, and have the opportunity of gathering more Riches. And being now desirous to rob the King of Tangu, tho actually then in Peace with him, to colour his wicked Design he pretends that King was overcome by him of Ova, (as indeed he was and made Tributary) since the Treaty, as if that could absolve him for breach of Faith. In fine, with the King of Martavam's assistance, he fell upon, took, and robbed him of Tangu, and returned with him and

above a Million of Gold, without hearkning to the Protestations he made of his continu∣ing a faithful Vassal to the Crown of Por∣tugal.

5. Let us keep in mind these his unjust Proceedings, and in its place we shall see them rewarded as they deserve; for all these Particulars happened not at this time, but it is anticipated, to prevent too much dismembring the Relation of them. Indeed it is to be admired, a Christian Govern∣ment should support such Unchristian Pro∣ceedings.

6. It will be fit to return to the Affairs of the Moluco Islands. The Hollanders were now strong in those Seas, and well backed by the Islanders, who tired out with our in∣satiable Avarice, joined with those Rebels to expel us.

7. The Hollanders about this time having forced us thence, had possessed themselves of Amboina. Gaspar de Melo commanded there, whom absolute Necessity obliged to quit it, yet being unjustly accused and in danger of suffering with Disgrace, his Wife poisoned him. A strange Government, where notorious Criminals were not punish∣ed, and an innocent Person was so Perse∣cuted, that she who loved him took away his Life, least they should take away his Honour, who had none of their own. The Portugueses who were at Tidore since the loosing of Ternate, seeing the King did not deliver them up to the Hollanders who de∣manded them, and had nine Ships in the

Harbour, but that he was resolved to stand by them, took such Courage, that they withstood the continual Batteries of 120 Cannons, which played on them without intermission.

8. The King of Ternate sends a Fleet to assist the Hollanders, and Landing batters the Fort on the other side. All we had to op∣pose this Power, was 10 or 12 pieces of Cannon, and but a small number of Men able to bear Arms. After four days Bat∣tery the Enemy gives the Assault, our Men encouraged by their Captain Peter Alvarez de Abreu, with Sword in Hand bravely re∣pulse them. In the midst of their hopes that this defeat would oblige the Enemy to desist, the Powder by some accident taking fire, blew up the greatest part of the Fort and most of the Men; so that the Enemy entred it when they least expected, and our Men were forced to accept of some Vessels to go where they thought fit.

9. About Four hundred Persons of all sorts were shipped, and got to the Philip∣pine Islands, where D Peter de Cunna Com∣manded. Neither was their Voyage with∣out danger, the enraged Sea being ready to swallow them; but the Mercy of God brought them safe ashore, by virtue of certain Reliques thrown into the Water by a Jesuit, which laid the Storm, and after their land∣ing were brought and laid upon the Sand by a Fish.

10. In February Cunna sailed from the Philippine Islands towards Ternate with One thousand Spaniards and Four hundred of the Natives. He Besieged the Fort, in which was the King himself, and had above One hundred Cannons. The Hollanders and Ter∣natenses thinking to surprize the Besiegers, made a Sally, and were so received by Iohn Rodriguez Camelo, who commanded a Com∣pany of Portugueses, that he not only beat them back, but entred the Fort along with them. So that when the Spanish Comman∣der came up, fearing some mischance might be occasioned by that heat, Camelo met him at the Gate with the Keys of the Fort, and Cunna to honour him for that Action, put about his Neck a Gold Chain he had upon his own.

11. The Ternatenses in the fright aban∣doned the City as they had done the Fort. The Spanish Commander losing no time, drove the Hollanders out of Tidore, and cut off their hopes of ever settling in those Islands, which from that time forward re∣mained subject to Spain.

12. Though the Hollanders lost Tidore, yet they aspired to greater Conquests. To this purpose they made a League with seven of the Neighbouring Kings about Malaca, thinking to gain that Place. They gather∣ed a Fleet of One hundred and fifty Sail, in which were 16000 Men. There were but few above One hundred Portugueses in a condition to oppose this Power, but they

were Commanded by the Great Andrew Fur∣tado de Mendoça. He sent out several Par∣ties to discover the Enemy's Designs. The first was but of four Soldiers with Gaspar de Fonseca; the Enemy thinking they Desert∣ed, gave them free Passage, but were unde∣ceived, receiving considerable damage from only those five Men. Next Captain Ferdi∣nand de Costa de Andria with Forty Men, some of them Iaponeses, cut off a good Par∣ty of them, and retired without any loss.

13. The Enemy having taken their Ground, began to batter the City; and those within to feel the Miseries of a Siege, being in want of all Necessaries. To this was added, that the Master-Gunner was a Hollander, who designedly burst many pieces of Cannon, having under-hand Intelligence with the Enemy. A Moor who commanded some Men acted no less treacherously, but being discovered, they were both hanged over the Wall. Many of our Men signalized themselves by brave Actions, and particu∣larly Iohn Rodriguez Camelo, who with great danger brought a number of Men and did good Service with them. The Enemy lost so many Men during four Months the Siege lasted, in which time they spent above Fifty thousand Cannon Balls; that despairing of success they raised the Siege; the Kings re∣turning home, and the Hollanders to their Ships.

14. The News that D. Martin Alfonso de Castro, our Viceroy, was coming with twelve Galleons, four Galleys, and seventy

other Vessels, caused the Siege to be sooner raised. He set out of Goa in May, on St. Antony's Day in Iune came to Anchor at Achem, where he took three of the Ene∣my's Ships loaden with Provisions, and re∣solved to take Revenge on that King for receiving the Hollanders into his Ports, con∣trary to a former Agreement. On the 29th the Men landed, the Enemy's opposed them in great numbers with many Elephants, but after a brave resistance were forced to their Works. Our Men mounted and planted their Colours, and had they followed their Victory, the City had been that day de∣stroyed. Yet the fight lasted all that and next day; when the Viceroy perceiving no Benefit accrued, shipped his Men, much affli∣cted that he had slipped such an Opportu∣nity.

15. After suffering much for want of Water, and loosing some Vessels by bad Weather, the Fleet came before Malaca, where Andrew Furtado acquainted the Vice∣roy the Siege was carried on by Sea and Land, on the Sea were eleven Ships and seven Galliots of the Hollanders, and Three hundred small Vessels of the Natives; by Land, eleven neighbouring Kings in their Persons with 14000 Men. Both of them, during those four Months the Siege lasted, had destroyed many Buildings, and commit∣ted great Outrages against Images and other holy Things. On the 17th of August the 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Ships went out to receive our Fleet, play∣ing their Cannon furiosly, and were answer'd

in like manner with equal loss, till Night parted them.

16. Morning appearing the Fight was renewed with great Fury, but the Damage was greater on our side, because the Ene∣mies Ships exceeded us in strength, swift∣ness, number of Cannons, and goodness of Gunners. Sebastian Suarez boarded one and burnt it, after having killed many Hollan∣ders. Alvaro de Carvallo would have done the like to another, and Duarte de Guerra coming up to second him, they all three were consumed by fire, and none of the Men saved.

17. D. Henry de Noronna boarded the Admiral Cornelius Madclif, and being both in danger of being burnt, they parted by consent, promising if they met again they would not encounter. Whereupon Noronna quitted his Command, telling the Viceroy, He had rather serve as a private Man, than be obliged to perform the Promise he had made to the Enemy. D. Peter Mascarennas succeeded him in the Command, who did Wonders; for the Dutch Admiral coming up to salute him, supposing it had been Noronna, they engaged furiously; and after the fight, Four hundred Cannon shot were found in the Galleon, which had done no other harm than the killing one Caf•…•…e. The Fleets were engaged eight Days, and our Vessels very much disabled. On the 24th of August the Viceroy again offered the Ene∣my Battel, but they all fled.

18. The Viceroy entred Malaca, which had been ruined during the Siege. An∣drew Furtado was of Opinion, the Fleet should be kept together, lest the Enemy might destroy it, being separated: Others advised it should divide; the worst Advice was followed. D. Alvaro de Meneses had a Squadron of seven Galleons, to go meet the Ships that were expected from Portugal at the Islands of Nicobar. Nunno Alvarez Pe∣reyra; another of five, to secure the Ships of Iava, that brought Provisions to Malaca, through the Streight of Singapura, but ha∣ving met the Enemy, he returned into the Port.

19. The Hollanders having refitted, and hearing our Fleet was divided, came again before Malaca, and finding there the five Galleons, they began a desperate fight on the twenty-second of October. Many Men of Note of our side were killed; one of our Vessels blew up, and only seven Men were saved: In fine, the whole Squadron was destroyed. Of the Hollanders about Five hundred were killed. The Viceroy soon after died at Malaca, it was believed that of Grief for this Loss.

20. The Hollanders met not with the like Success in the Bay of Polobutum, where D. Alvaro de Meneses was with his Squadron of seven Galleons; for after a bloody Fight, they were forced to give way, having lost three Ships. But since the Viceroy is dead, and we must enter upon a new Govern∣ment, it will be fit to mention what Ships

sailed from Lisbon for India during his Life. In the Year 1605, 7 Ships. Before them three Galleons, which were with the Fleet at Malaca. After the 7 Ships, set out Bel∣chior Rodriguez in a Caravel with some fresh Advice, who overtaking them under the Line, returned to Lisbon.

21. In the Year 1606, 3 Ships were to have gone, but were prevented by a Dutch Squadron that lay at the mouth of the Ri∣ver till the Season was past. Thus much of the Government of D. Martin Alfonso de Castro, who was Viceroy two Years and a half, the 19th of that Number, and 37th Governour, the second both of Name and Sirname. Of Stature somewhat tall, of Complexion sallow, a good Christian, a good Gentleman, well beloved in India, and Zealous of the Kings's Service, a Thing now rare in the World.