Storia do Mogor 347.2
Storia do Mogor (Irvine) 347.2
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347.2.1
'Seeing the destruction of this kingdom, and your inability even then to rule it, I felt forced to withdraw in deep dejection at the sight of such disorders, in order to restore my equanimity and live in peace, with the decorum befitting the refinement of my habits. May your Majesty live long ! Quit the government, and I will rule the kingdom as it ought to be done. Journey [50] to Mecca, and when you have done so all men will tell of your greatness. During all these years you have ruled in grandeur and done what you pleased. Now that the shadows fall it is time to retire and begin to care for your soul. Your Majesty urges me to return to the Presence. Willingly would I do so if my youth did not inspire me with some fear. However, if your Majesty were only at the head of a small company, I, as the least among your sons, would come and throw myself at your feet and obey you in every particular. I refrain from writing here any more, as I might, not wishing to weary you; and may the sun ever shine on your Majesty along with your sons.'
347.2.2
The inquiring reader will have already seen in the Fourth Part [IV, 18] what happened last year to the Portuguese of S. Thome and their new chief captain, who had come from Goa to govern their quarter of the town. After his wound had healed he wrote to the Viceroy of Goa that he resigned the captaincy, and requested him to order someone else to take charge [51] of the government. The Viceroy, who was then Caetano de Mello, issued an order to the Lord Bishop, Gaspar Affonço, to take over charge from the captain, and if he declined the task he could chose anyone he considered best fitted for the office. On receipt of this order the Bishop assumed command, and governs up to this day. In the very first days of his rule he assembled the officials of the Portuguese quarter, and enjoined on them the imposition of a tax to meet the cost of a new standard; for it was already obvious that the old one, having been long in use, could not serve much longer. The officials remonstrated, pointing out to him the impossibility of the matter owing to the poverty of the inhabitants, who had hardly enough to eat. After meeting with different objections the Lord Bishop grew angry, and said to them, if they would not provide the money for the flag he would have the flagstaff removed. At this answer they were a little upset, and finally conceded what he desired.
347.2.3
But this did not end the discussion. The greatest impediment in this affair, they considered, was not knowing how, having no money, they could pay every month nearly one pataca (two rupees) to the person who would have to raise, fix, and lower the flag. This new difficulty caused the officials to ask for time before deciding. [52] Finding there was great delay in giving the desired answer, the Bishop, after waiting eight days, sent again for the same officials and held forth to them at great length. He said to them that in olden days the city of San Thome was much renowned, and held in respect by both Mahomedans and Hindus. Let them not forget that at this city the Apostle St. Thomas had converted many men to Christianity. Thus it was fitting to raise aloft the standard of his Portuguese Majesty, and secure for him respect in these regions. Some of the officials explained that the year before, while the flag was flying, the Mahomedans had come into the Portuguese ward and murdered some of the inhabitants, whereby up to the present the matter had remained in suspense. But to wind up with, the real difficulty in preparing the new Royal Standard was that the person who looked after the old flag demanded his pay for the year and a half then due to him. To start with, it was necessary to pay him, seeing there was no one else throughout the city fit for this duty.
347.2.4
The Lord Bishop was worn out by this affair and other government business, and being already advanced in years, he foresaw that he would have no peace. He therefore made over the direction of affairs to Nicolao Rodriguez, of whom I have already spoken (V. 20). The first [53] judgment pronounced by this new ruler was as follows : A man in the Lord Bishop's employment sold a slave girl to a ship's captain living in Madras, a Catholic, named Francesco Noult (or Hoult). The price was twenty-six pagodas. The girl absconded and took shelter in the Bishop's house. Upon receiving information the captain went to the Bishop's house to ask for his slave girl. The answer he got was that she was in no way a slave, but a free person, and this in spite of his producing the certificate of slavery and the contract of sale attested by the judge. Finding that he had lost the negress, the captain demanded the return of his money. They got rid of him by saying that the cleric had spent the money and had nothing wherewith to pay.
347.2.5
Some days after the said Rodriguez had assumed charge the servants of the clerics in the Lord Bishop's house assembled to the number of eleven, and at midnight went and set fire to the gate of Joã de Moraes Mixias, his Majesty's auditor. Seeing the fire burning, this gentleman went to the window and shouted for help. The only answer he got from the students was a discharge of muskets. The bullets struck the window, and some fell inside the house. The auditor in turn seized his arms, and the fight went on for the rest of the night. This happened twice. The auditor was compelled in the end [54] to make a complaint to the Bishop, who replied, like the Paulist (i.e., Jesuit) he was, that if complainant would hold his tongue he would see the thing was stopped. Finding himself thus interfered with, and that there was no justice to be got, the auditor was forced to remove to Madras, and now he is on his way to Pegu.
347.2.6
In the year 1705, on the 2nd of October, I went to visit the Mahomedan ruler of San Thome, whose name is Molla Morat (Mullã Murãd). While I was in conversation with him there came before him a poor faqir, all bruised and bleeding, with his head broken and his body covered with marks of blows. He cried out for justice to be done for the injuries inflicted on him. The governor [i.e., faujdãr] inquired how it happened that he had been so badly treated. He arrived at the conclusion from the description that the culprit was a student serving-man of the Bishop of Mailãpur. The faqir had asked him for alms at the house-door, instead of which he was given a sound bastonading. The governor (or faujdãr) was very much angered at such an act, and therefore ordered the hot-headed student to be brought before him; his name was Francesco Borges. The order could not, however, be executed, as the man hid in the house of the Most Illustrious Bishop, where he believed he would be safe. When the business is to deal out punishment, the Mahomedans have respect to no one, and make no distinctions. They attempted [55] to get hold of the delinquent. The governor sent several times for four days to ask the Lord Bishop to give the man up; but it was all in vain.
347.2.7
In the interval, by the interposition of friends, the criminal court was propitiated by a present made to it of fifty patacas. This money was realized by a tax imposed upon the people, as it is the custom to do in such cases. The affair just recounted caused two evils: one was that the money having been employed to satisfy the criminal court, it could not be used to make the flag; the other, that they omitted the usual procession of the Rosary in order not to have to deal with any tumult such as that occasion might give rise to.
347.2.8
On December 15 of the year 1705 began the Novaine of the Virgin Mary. This festival it is usual to hold every year at Monte Grande (Great Mount). On that day the musicians of the Lord Bishop appeared to take a part in the solemnities. Those gentlemen went for a stroll in the garden of the Honourable English Company [56], which is situated at the foot of the mount, and has in it a fine house for recreation. During this walk, without having any consideration for the Governor of Madras, these clerics and students took the liberty not only of removing fruit from the trees, but also of giving the gardeners a shoe-beating when they forbade them to pick the fruit. This piece of temerity came to the ears of the governor, and he sent twenty-five soldiers, Mahomedans and Hindus, who took the insolent clerics, and, dragging and pushing them, marched them off to the fortress of Madras, where they were locked up. Subsequently they were brought into the governor's presence. He released the culprits after they had begged their liberty and expressed repentance for their misdeeds.