Storia do Mogor 281.8.5

281.8.5

In short, their (the Jesuits') power is so great that the governors of fortresses and the lieutenants (heads of police) of the towns dare not fire off one single cannon, be the necessity what it may, without the permission of those reverend fathers, the administrators. The fathers have for this very good allowances which are very regularly paid to them. With this money many needy men of quality might be subventioned, as also the soldiers might be paid who are continually exposing their life in their king's cause. I insert [26] this detail about the cannon the more willingly that I have been ocular witness of it. For in the year 1666, being in the town of Bassein, I was invited to dinner on Easter Day by Christovaon de Souza Cotinho, governor of the town. He ordered several salvoes to be fired in honour of our Saviour. The order was executed, and, as I recollect, they fired fifteen times. The gentleman was forced to pay on this account forty-five seraphim debited to him in the books of account, because he had not asked the permission of the noble administrators. They had been extremely irritated, so much so that the chief Father Administrator, whose name was Father Fortunado Seraphino, reproved him with harsh words, telling him he was astonished at his having dared to fire off cannon without his permission.