Travels in India (Tavernier) 32.1
Travels in India (Ball) 32.1
- Language
- English
32.1.1
Two days before my departure from Vengurla for Goa I wrote to M. de Saint Amant, the chief engineer, to beg him to arrange to have an armed boat sent for me, on account of the Malabaris who infest these coasts ; this he immediately did. I departed from Vengurla on the 20th of January 1648, and arrived at Goa on the 21st. As it was late, I postponed till the morrow going to pay my respects to the Viceroy Dom Philippe de Mascarehnas, who had formerly been Governor of Ceylon. He received me well, and during nearly two months which I spent at Goa, on five or six occasions he sent a gentleman to conduct me to the Powderhouse, outside the town, where he very often resided. He took pleasure in showing me guns and other things of that nature, regarding which he asked my opinion ; and, among several presents which I made to him on my arrival, he was specially pleased with a pistol very curiously and richly decorated. When passing Aleppo, the French Consul had given it to me as a present, its fellow having been unfortunately lost. It was a present which the nation intended to make to the Pasha , who would have been able to boast the possession of a pair of the most beautiful and best made pistols in all Asia. The Viceroys of Goa do not permit any one, whoever he may be — not even their own children — to sit at their table ;
32.1.2
but in the hall where they take their meals there is a small space partitioned off, where covers are laid for the principal officers, as is done in the Courts of the Princes of Germany. On the following day I went to pay a visit to the Archbishop, and I set apart the day after for that which I owed to the Inquisitor. But when I went to his house he sent one of his gentlemen to say that he much regretted that he was unable to see me upon that day on account of the despatches which he was preparing for Portugal, and which were waited for by two vessels that were about to sail. Nevertheless, if it was in reference to a matter of conscience, he would leave everything in order to speak to me. Having informed the gentleman that I had only come to pay my respects, and wishing to withdraw at once, he begged me to tarry a moment ; and after he had reported what I had said to him to the Inquisitor, he returned to assure me, on the part of his master, that the latter was much obliged to me, and that as soon as the vessels had started he would send to let me know, so that we might have our interview at leisure.
32.1.3
As soon as the vessels had left, the same gentleman came, on the part of the Inquisitor, to tell me that the latter would expect me at about two or three p.m. in the house of the Inquisition, for he dwelt in another, and both houses are very magnificent. I did not fail to be at the place indicated at the prescribed hour ; and on my arrival a page appeared, who conducted me into the great hall, where, after I had walked up and down for about a quarter of an hour, an officer came to conduct me into the room where the Inquisitor was. After having passed through two grand galleries and some suites of rooms, I entered a small chamber where the Inquisitor awaited me, seated at the end of a large table, made like a billiard table, and both the table and all the furniture of the room were covered with green cloth brought from England. As soon as I entered he told me that I was welcome, and after I had presented my compliments he asked me what my religion was. I replied that I professed the Protestant religion. He then asked me whether my father and mother were also of the same religion, and having replied that they were, he repeated that I was welcome, calling out to some persons who were close by that they might come in. At the same moment a corner of the curtain was lifted, and I caught sight of ten or twelve persons who were in a small chamber at the side.
32.1.4
The first who entered were two Augustin friars, who were followed by two Dominicans, two Barefoot Carmelites, and some other ecclesiastics, to whom the Inquisitor straightway explained who I was, that I had no forbidden books with me, and that, being aware of the order to that effect, I had left my bible at Vengurla. We conversed together for more than two hours concerning many things, and particularly regarding my travels, all the company telling me that they enjoyed hearing the recital. Three days afterwards the Inquisitor sent to invite me to dine with him at a fine house which is situated at half a league from the town, and belongs to the Barefoot Carmelites. It is one of the most beautiful buildings in India, and I shall relate in a few words how these monks acquired possession of it. There was in Goa a nobleman whose father and grandfather had made much by trade, who built this house, which might be regarded as a splendid palace. He did not desire to marry, and, not caring for anything but religion, he was most frequently with the Augustines, for whom he manifested such affection that he made a will by which he bequeathed them all his wealth, provided that on his death they would inter him on the right side of the great altar, where they were to make him a splendid tomb. According to common report this gentleman was a leper — a report which some persons diligently spread, seeing that he had given all his goods to the Augustines.
32.1.5
It was said that the place on the right side of the altar was for a Viceroy only, and that it was not proper to place a leper there, to which the public generally and some even of the Augustines assented. Some Fathers of the convent having gone to speak to him in order to beg him to select some other place in the Church, the gentleman was so annoyed by the suggestion that he never returned to the Augustines, and went to his devotions with the Barefoot Carmelites, who received him with open arms, and accepted the conditions which the others had refused. He did not live long after he had made friends with these monks, who buried him with magnificence, and succeeded to all his property, including this superb mansion, where we were splendidly entertained with music during the repast.
32.1.6
I remained at Goa from the 21st of January to the 11th of March, on the evening of which day I quitted it, after taking leave of the Viceroy. I also begged leave for the departure of a French gentleman named Du Belloy, which was granted me; but by his imprudence, this gentleman, who had not told me why he was at Goa, had a very narrow escape of being brought back, and I of being carried along with him, before the Inquisition. The following is the way in which he came to India, and his history as he told it to me : He had left his father’s house in order to visit Holland, where, having spent more than he ought, and not meeting any one who would lend him money, he resolved to go to India. He enlisted under the Dutch Company as a common soldier, and arrived at Batavia at the time when the Dutch were fighting with the Portuguese in the island of Ceylon. As soon as he had arrived he was included among the recruits who were being sent to that island, and the General of the Dutch troops, seeing a reinforcement of brave soldiers commanded by a French captain named St. Amant, full of courage and experience, resolved to lay siege to Negumbo, one of the towns in the island of Ceylon. Three successive assaults were made upon it, in which all the Frenchmen bore themselves bravely, especially St. Amant and Jean de Rose, who were both wounded.
32.1.7
The Dutch General, recognising in these two, men of courage, promised them as a reward that if Negumbo were taken one of them would be made Governor of it. The place having been taken the General kept his promise to St. Amant, but the news of it having been sent to Batavia, a young man who had only recently arrived from Holland, and who was a relative of the General, was appointed Governor of Negumbo, to the prejudice of St. Amant, and came, bringing orders from the Council at Batavia to displace him. St. Amant, finding himself thus treated, deserted with fifteen or twenty soldiers, the majority of whom were French, and among them MM. Belloy, Des Marests, and Jean de Rose, and went over with them to the Portuguese army. This small number of brave men gave courage to the Portuguese, who advanced to the attack of Negumbo, from whence they had been driven, and took it at the second assault. At this time Dom Philippe de Mascarenhas was Governor of the island of Ceylon, and of all the places dependent on Portugal. He lived in the town of Colombo, and having received letters from Goa which informed him of the death of the Viceroy, with an invitation from the Council and all the nobility to take the vacant place, before leaving he desired to see St. Amant and those whom he had brought over in order to reward them.
32.1.8
Dom Philippe was a gallant gentleman, and when he had seen them he resolved to take them with him to Goa, either because he thought he would have there the best opportunity of promoting them, or because he liked to have with him a body of resolute men on account of the Malabaris, who were lying in wait for him with about forty vessels, whereas he had but twenty-two. When near Cape Comorin the wind became so contrary, and so violent a tempest arose, that the whole fleet was dispersed, and many vessels were unhappily lost. Those who were in that of Dom Philippe exercised all their skill to bring it to land, but seeing that they were unable to accomplish their object, and that it was breaking up, St. Amant, with five or six others of his companions, which number included Des Marests, Du Belloy, and Jean de Rose, threw themselves into the sea with cords and pieces of wood, and managed so well that they saved Dom Philippe, and they themselves also escaped together with him. To shorten this long story, on their arrival at Goa, Dom Philippe, as soon as he had made his entry as Viceroy, gave to St. Amant the post of Grand Master of Artillery and Inspector-General of all the fortresses belonging to the Portuguese in India. He subsequently brought about his marriage to a young girl, with whom he received a fortune of 20,000 écus. Her father was an Englishman, who had quitted the service of the Company, and had married the illegitimate daughter of a Viceroy of Goa.
32.1.9
As for Jean de Rose, he asked the Viceroy to send him back to Colombo, where, by his permission, he married a young Mestive widow, who brought him a large fortune. Dom Philippe, who had a very high opinion of Des Marests, having witnessed the gallant acts which he performed, and the several wounds which he received at the siege of Negumbo, made him Captain of his bodyguard, which was the best office at the Court. It may be added that he was especially indebted for his own life to him, Des Marests being the one who saved him from the wreck by taking him on his shoulders. Du Belloy asked to be permitted to go to Macao, which was granted to him. He had heard that some of the nobility retired thither after having acquired fortunes by trade, that they received strangers well, and that they loved gambling, which was Du Belloy’s own strongest passion. He remained two years at Macao, greatly enjoying himself, and when his cash ran low these nobles lent him some willingly. One day, after winning about 6000 écus, and going back to play, he had the misfortune to lose all, and a considerable sum besides, which his friends had lent him. When he realised his loss, and that no one was willing to lend him more, he began to swear at a picture which was in the room, and which represented some holy subject, saying, in the rage common to the majority of players, that this picture which was before his eyes was the cause of his loss, and that if it had not been there he would have won.
32.1.10
Forthwith the Inquisitor was informed, for in all the towns in India which belong to the Portuguese there is one of these officials, whose power, however, is limited, for he has only authority to arrest the person who has said or done anything against religion, to examine the witnesses, and to send the offender with the informations by the first ship which starts for Goa. There the Inquisitor-General has the power to acquit him or to condemn him to death. Du Belloy was accordingly put on a small vessel of ten or twelve guns with his feet in irons, while the captain was warned that he should watch him well, and would be personally answerable for him. But as soon as they got to sea, the captain, who was a gallant man, and knew that Du Belloy was of good family, caused his irons to be removed, and even made him eat at his table, taking care to supply him with clean linen and the clothes necessary for the voyage, which lasted some forty days.