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. XIV.

Continues the Discoveries in the Island Madagascar under the Vice-Roy D. Hie∣rome de Azevedo.

1. THE same King told the Portugueses▪ That in his Father's time a Ship of theirs was cast away on that Coast; that about 100 of the Men came ashore, some brought their Wives, others married there, and left a numerous Offspring. He repea∣ted several of their Names, and shewed a Book writ in Portugues and Latin, and some Maps, and concluded, saying, There were more Portugueses on that Coast 7 days Journey Northward.

2. Inquiring further, our Men found an old Man 90 Years of Age, who had known

the Portugueses that were cast away there, and could remember still some odd Words of our Language. The Ships that were lost, and never known where since the disco∣very of India, were as follows. In the Year 1504, three Ships; one in the Year 1505; in 1527, two were cast away on the Island Madagascar, and the Men remained there for want of Vessels to transport them; four were lost the Year 1534, not known where; one more in the Year 1538. The Portugueses, those People spoke of, must be∣long to some of these Ships.

3. Our Men all set their hands to work, and built a small Chapel and House for the four Portugueses and two Religious Men, who were to remain there. The Work done, Mass was said, and many of the Natives came to learn to make the sign of the Cross. The King seeing some Men labour under a Cross that was to be set upon a Rock run half naked and bare footed, and carried it alone to the Place appointed. The Portu∣gueses might say, they had found another Emperor Heraclius, for after this pious Action he became wicked, in this manner.

4. Our Captain being ready to sail, de∣manded that Son the King had promised to send with him; and he not only refused to perform, but denied he had made any such Promise, and offered a Slave. The Captain seeing this change, sent the Master and Pilot with some Men to demand Hostages, that a Portugues might go to Port St. Lucy to sound it, and see an Inscription the Natives said was

in that place. If the King granted this, they were to require no more; if not▪ to endea∣vour to bring away by force one of his Sons.

5. The Peace thus broke, and some At∣tempts of getting one of the King's Sons failing, some Portugueses marched with their Muskets. The King dreaded them, but kept his Men in readiness▪ a Fray ensuing, they catched one of his Sons 11 Years of Age, who was his Darling. The King endeavou∣red to rescue him, but was repulsed by our Shot. The Subjects of another King came to offer any thing for the Boy's Ransom; but being told, it was the Viceroy's Com∣mand, the King's Promise, and that they should lose their Heads if they did not carry him, they went away satisfied. Thus ended the Year 1613. The Child came to Goa about the middle of the Year 1614, the Viceroy caused him to be well instructed in the Faith by the Jesuits, and was his God∣father in Baptism, giving him the Name of Andrew because it was on that Apostle's day, and the Sirname of Azevedo as his God∣child.

6. The Viceroy treated him with all Ho∣nour and Magnificence, hoping to gain him, that when he succeeded his Father, he might forward the Propagation of the Gospel▪ and believing he was sufficiently grounded, sent him away with four J•…•…s. The Ves∣sels were a Pink and a Caravel, commanded by Peter de Almeyda Cabral, and Iohn Car∣doso de Pin•…•…, who set out on the 17th of

September 1616, and on the 20th of March they discovered the Island Del Cisue, or The Sw•…•…n, a most delightful Place, watered with pure Springs, and bearing several unknown Plants and Herbs, besides many known both Sweet and Medicinal. The Religious on the Barks of the Trees carved the time of their arrival there, and planted some Crosses.

7. In this Island there are two Mountains that overtop the Clouds. The Wreck of two Holland Ships was found there. Our Ships entred Port St. Lucas, in the Island of Madagascar. The King and Queen came 〈◊〉〈◊〉 receive their Son with great joy, and delive∣red Hostages at taking him away.

8. With the Prince went the Fathers and six Soldiers. He was every where till he came to the Court, received with demon∣strations of Joy, which to us seem ridicu∣lous, as those used by us would appear to them. This done, the King made the same Agreement with our Captain that had been with the former, which was, that the Reli∣gious should inhabit the Island of Santa Cruz, and thence have the liberty to go out and Preach the Gospel; that there should be a League Offensive and Defensive between the King and Portugueses. So the Fathers, Al∣meyda and Costa, went to the Fort of Santa Cruz, and D. Andrew the King's Son sent them Workmen and Provisions.

9. The Captain Peter de Almeyda had Or∣ders to carry the King to Goa; or if he re∣fused, another Son, which, if not consented to, should be taken by force. A Son being

demanded, he answered, He had but one, who was too young for that Voyage. Almeyda think∣ing this was but an Excuse, began to commit Hostilities, but being * 1.1 informed it was true, desisted. Yet he car∣ried away Anria Sambo the King's Nephew, who was Baptized at Goa by the Name of Hierome.

10. Being now a Christian, he was sent to his Country in a Pink, commanded by Emanuel Freyre de Andrade, with 100 Sol∣diers, 2 Jesuits, and a Present worth 4000 Ducats for the King and Prince. They set out in the beginning of February, and being forced to water at the Island Del Cisne, or The Swan, they saw three Ships sunk at the mouth of a River. Our Men landing, found 2 leagues from the Shore 20 Hollanders guard∣ing the Goods they had saved. They made some opposition, but being overcome, Freyre carried them to his Pink, with a great quan∣tity of Clove, Pepper, Arms, Ammunition, and Provision, then fired all that was left. The Hollanders said, They came from the Molucco Islands with a Pass from their Admi∣ral Lawrence Ales.

11. Freyre coming into Port St. Lucas, the two Jesuits came to him, both sick, affirming it was impossible to live there, and that those who had been left with them were dead. The Captain sent the King the Letters he had for him, and a Present, by his Nephew D Hierome's Servants. The King in return sent 100 fat Oxen, much Fowl, Honey, and 6 Slaves, but would not come himself; and

it was found, that his Son D. Andrew fell off from the Faith into Mahometanism. The Sadio's and Fansayr•…•…'s are Mahometan Cafres, and love the liberty of having many Wives. The King was a Fansayr•…•…, and now designed to destroy Freyre by Treachery. The cause of this Change was a Chingala, Slave to the Jesuits, who running away from them, per∣swaded the King the Portugueses would de∣prive him of his Kingdom, and undertook to destroy them. Many Cafres coming to the Shore, to this purpose began a Fray, giving F. Almeyda a cuff, then Stones and Darts began to fly, but our Bullets also fly∣ing, some were killed, and their Quarters hung upon the Trees for an Example, and one of their Towns was burnt.

12. Emanuel Freyre carried away with him the King's Nephew D. Hierome, and a Bro∣ther of his taken in the Skirmish with the Cafres, who was converted, and died at Goa. All the Jesuits agreed to desist from that Mission, and depart with the Captain, though he opposed them, and came to Goa, where the Viceroy not allowing their weak Excuses, much condemned their remisness in that Af∣fair.

13. Towards the end of this Year arrived in India D. Iohn Coutinno Count de Redondo, who was to succeed the Viceroy D. Hierome de Azevedo, and of whom * 1.2 we shall next treat. D. Hierome returned to Portugal in the same Ship that had carried the Count, and no sooner anchored at Lisbon but he was made Prisoner, and put into the

Dungeon of the Castle. He was disrespect∣fully treated, after a long Imprisonment, had a Hearing, and then again was worse used. The chief Crime laid to his Charge, was not fighting the Hollanders.

14. He was so rich at his entring upon the Government, that Nunno de Cunna tel∣ling him after all his Misfortunes, he was still worth 4 or 500000 Ducats; he answe∣red, I am worth that in Cattle. Notwith∣standing all this Riches, he died poor in Prison, and the King got nothing by it. His Liberality was so great, he gave the value of several thousand Ducats in one Present of Curiosities at Ceylon. He was of the Ancient and Noble Family of Azevedo, a Soldier of Valour, and wise Commander, and zealous Viceroy.

15. But it is not amiss to observe, that though this Gentleman could not justly Suffer for the Crimes laid to his Charge, yet these his Misfortunes were a Judgment from the Hand of GOD for his extraordinary Cru∣elty. In the height of his Success in C•…•…ylon, he forced Mothers to cast their Children be∣tween Mill-stones, and having seen them ground to Mash, they were afterwards Be∣•…•…eaded.

16. He caused the Soldiers to take up Children on the Points of their Pikes, and hearing them cry, bid them hark how those Cocks crowed. Playing upon the likeness of the Names, those People being called Gala's, and Cocks in Portugues Galo's. He caused many Men to be cast off the Bridge of M•…•…∣vana,

for the Souldiers to see the Crocodils devour them. And those Creatures were so used to this Food, that at a Whistle they would lift their Heads above Water.

17. D. Hierome was of a middle Stature, thick and swarthy, his under Lip hanging, and always moist, a certain Token of Cruelty. He was reduced to such Extremity in Prison, that the Society of Iesus maintained, and after his Death decently buried him. He held the Government almost five Years, and was one of them who best deserved it. Of Viceroys he is the 22th, of Governors the 42th, the 1st of the Name and Sirname.

Notes

• * 1.1

  1617.
• * 1.2

  1617.