Storia do Mogor 332.2.7

332.2.7

He was taken to Negapatam, and there sent ashore in the above condition in the sight of the whole town, greatly to the disgrace and dishonour of the habit of St. Francis. He was sent on board again in the same way, and carried to Manaar. I heard of this when I was for a time in the country of Jafnapatam, near Manaar. I was then inspecting the convents of our order under a commission from the reverend father our Commissary-General. My duty was to collect our brethren for a Provincial Chapter that was about to be held. I threw up my inspection and all my other work in order to reach Manaar. There I found the said Father Ephraim with the same irons upon him as above described. On beholding this, I promptly sent for the captain of the ship to whom he had been made over. I gave an undertaking in writing to produce him before the tribunal of the Holy Office ; and in case of default I agreed to answer with my own person. The captain transferred his responsibility on to my shoulders, and made over the father to me. Forthwith I had his leg-irons removed. This I did not only to remove the opprobrium thereby cast upon our religion and our habit, but because I knew his virtue and holiness, having been for five years and a half his confessor, and we had been on very familar terms of intercourse. I knew, in addition, that all the things imputed to him proceeded from the malignity of his accusers. It was nothing, all of it, but envy, mere hatred, and falsehood.