Storia do Mogor 265.10.6

265.10.6

From what I have been able to gather about the ancient Portuguese, they were, as shown by their conquests and the strong fortified places they took, religious men, just, disinterested, valorous, void of fear, men of their word, and modest withal. For this reason God was their helper. At the present day, from what I have seen and experienced, I find that, instead of faithful men, they are unbelievers and pretenders. The cause I know not — whether it be because they are a mixture of Jews, Mahomedans, and Hindus, either having an admixture of their blood, or having drunk it in with their nurse's milk — but in place of just, they have become unjust ; [193] robbers and oppressors instead of disinterested men. They are avaricious, forgers, envious ; from brave men they have turned into cowards, who by ambushes and treacheries slay simple folk. Instead of men of their word, they are liars and deceivers ; in place of being modest, they are shameless, miserable wretches, filled with a pride which they maintain as if they were upholding the First Commandment.