Storia do Mogor 344.2
Storia do Mogor (Irvine) 344.2
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344.2.1
There dwelt in Bengal a French merchant named Monsieur Bomom, who was married to a Portuguese lady called Senhora Apollonia. I knew her well; she was of the best behaviour, and good family. This Monsieur Bomom built a sumptuous mansion close to the factory of the French Royal Company, and died afterwards, leaving as sole heir to his wealth his consort above named. The Jesuits were eager to usurp that mansion, it being in the best situation in the whole place. This purpose they sought to carry out by all the force such men can invent. The artifices they attempted were all in vain, the lady objecting to be deprived of her dwelling. They did not desist, however, from trying other roads for arriving at their wishes, and out of the many they might have chosen they adopted the most perfidious. Rabid with rage, the Jesuits resorted one day to her house, and spoke to her as follows: 'Senhora Apollonia, now that we see you do not mean to give us what we have asked, you will be no longer, as you believe you are, the heir of your husband; for, in addition to everything remaining in our hands, we mean to denounce you as an adultress.'
344.2.2
The poor woman, on hearing such an unexpected assertion and manifest calumny, considered it better to lose her property than the inestimable prize of her good fame. Therefore she made them a donation of the house, and they retired highly satisfied. After a short time she married a French friend of mine called Monsieur Boutuvil, and came to live in Pondicherry. All the (European) inhabitants of Bengal marvelled at this extraordinary story, and for a long time could talk of nothing else. At this time there lived in Bengal a French surgeon called Monsieur Cattem. This man was in the service of the Royal Company, and, fearing that after his death the Jesuits might calumniate his wife, he put into his will this clause: that if by chance his wife were an adulteress, she should, nevertheless, remain his heir. But the Jesuits aforesaid do not mind in the least creating these scandals, and go on with such-like knaveries, of which I will give some examples. There was also in Bengal a young Frenchman called Monsieur Pellé, second in the Royal Company, and married to Senhora Catterina, of Portuguese race. She lived on good terms with her husband. Belonging to the Royal Company there was among the other Fathers one Father Quenin, who interfered in every business, and therefore nowadays he is styled colloquially 'Monsieur Quenin.' This father, I know not why, took such a dislike to Senhora Catterina, that he sought every method of doing her an ill turn.
344.2.3
One day, on meeting her husband, the Jesuit was unable to restrain his anger, and said to him that he had better set to work to put his house in order. Monsieur Pellé, being a cautious man, paid no heed to this advice, never suspecting it to be directed against his wife. But the choler of Father Quenin was not appeased by this, but increased to such an extent that a few days after the first speech he said to the husband plainly that his wife had committed adultery, and that he should therefore take steps against such misconduct. To these words Pellé replied that his Reverence was ill-informed, he knew his wife to be an honourable woman, and all men saw with what modesty she behaved. Some days having passed, the Jesuit met Pellé again in society, a number of people being present, and before them all the priest said : 'It seems to me I have sufficiently warned you, sir, of the adultery your wife commits, and yet you do not mind me ; last night a man, (he gave the name, but it was not known to the bystanders) scaled the wall of your house, and you pretend to see nothing.'
344.2.4
To all these words the only answer of the patient Pellé was : 'Your Reverence is wrongly informed.' Thereupon the father added that no one better than himself could know, since he was her confessor, and that it was his business to send her to prison, assigning various arguments for this caprice of his. Although these words ought to have made no impression at all upon the mind of the husband, they had their effect — so much so that he allowed himself to be persuaded to shut up his wife in a room, leaving only one small window through which her food was passed, and that only sparingly. Four days in the week Father Quenin visited the poor prisoner, the keys of the room being in his hands. The only consolation he afforded her was to abuse her, to threaten her with death, to say she ought to be buried in that very room, and similar misplaced menaces. The lady, although in the flower of youth, and only eighteen years of age, supported all in patience, and, above all, the imprisonment, which lasted for nine months.
344.2.5
Nor would she have so easily obtained her liberation therefrom had not at that time occurred the death of her husband. The director, Monsieur Deslandres, interceded for and obtained her release. Although she gained her liberty, she was not allowed to inherit from her husband; she could not even recover her own dowry out of the hands of the Jesuits. The poor young woman, deprived of all means of livelihood, was forced to beg her food from door to door. Finally, forced by such distress, she married an Englishman, a Protestant, in order to live with more decorum. They took up their abode in Madras. While I was living in Goa there happened a similar case. There was a pilot of Portuguese nationality called Salvador Bexiga. Finding himself already advanced in years, and in possession of a considerable amount, he gave up his calling and retired to the house of a married friend, Manoel Pereira, living at the Arch of the Conception. As the Jesuits knew that the man was rather well off, they went to visit him very frequently, and kept up [13] a friendship with him.
344.2.6
Then came the death of Manoel Pereira, his friend, when the poor old man was obliged to take shelter in another household, where he was not so well looked after as in his late friend's house. Hearing his complaints, the Jesuits gave him an invitation, and offered him every convenience in their college. Many times they repeated that he should have full liberty if he chose to live with them. The good old man knew not the astuteness of such fellows, allowed himself to be persuaded, and went to live with them, carrying there his heavy casket. The Jesuits received him with the most courteous compliments and entrancing ceremony. They assigned to him a fine chamber, with a soft and lordly bed. They gave him to eat and to drink sumptuously. The old man was fully satisfied with his new shelter, retaining the liberty of going and coming at his pleasure. After eight days had elapsed several Jesuits entered his room and persuaded him to take the habit and become a brother of the Society, by which he would earn many indulgences. The simple old man was caught by their persuasion, and when he had put on the habit, they made for him a sumptuous banquet, with instrumental music and singing.
344.2.7
The next day the old man wanted to go out, as was his custom. Brother Alexo, who was the janitor, barred his exit, telling him it was necessary to have a permit from the Provincial. Hearing these words, the old man exclaimed at the affront, and lamented over this breach of their promises. The fathers, the further to annoy and irritate him, reproved him sharply; while he, being most violently angry, told them they had cheated him. His lamentations were, however, of no avail, since the fathers cried aloud, like men on whom has fallen some great misfortune. Then they began to say one to the other that the man had gone mad; therefore some said they must bleed him, others felt his pulse, and asserted he wanted a mixture to produce vomiting; others, again, suggested repeated purgings. Thus, simply on account of that fine rage he had fallen into, did they dispose of him maliciously as a madman, without his arguments having a chance of being heard. Finally, they laid hold of him violently and shut him up in a prison cell. They announced to the public that he was insane, and thus did he finish his days in misery. When I was living in the island of Salsette, near to Bassain, a most curious affair came to pass. Near the settlement of Bandora, belonging to the Jesuits, there lay a village at a distance of two leagues from the town. It was commonly called Irlemparlem (? Warli Parela), and the owner's name was George Gonzalves, a Portuguese by race.