Volume Nine
The Portuquese in the Sea of Oman Annals of History 1497 CE – 1757 CE Volume Nine by: Al Qasimi Publications Author: Dr. Sultan Bin Muhammad Al-Qasimi (United Arab Emirates) Publisher: Al Qasimi Publications, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates Edition: First Year of publication: 2025 ©All rights reserved * ISBN: 978-9948-715-28-3 * Printing Permission: UAE Media Council No. MC 03-01-4535619, Date: 24-03-2025 Printing: AL Bony Press- Sharjah, UAE Age Classification: E The age group that matches the content of the books was classified according to the age classification issued by UAE Media Council * Al Qasimi Publications, Al Tarfa, Sheikh Muhammad Bin Zayed Road PO Box 64009 Sharjah, United Arab Emirates. Tel: 0097165090000, Fax: 0097165520070 Email: info@aqp.ae
_ 5 _ Contents Introduction to Volume Nine 7 • Episodes of the year 1549 9 • Episodes of the year 1550 125 • Episodes of the year 1551 343 Researchers’ Guide 385 Volume Nine Reference 397
_ 7 _ Introduction to Volume Nine This volume covers the events of three years, from 1549 to 1551, during which a series of significant events took place, largely instigated by the Ottomans, including their occupation of Aden, as well as Basra, Qatif, and Bahrain. As for Christianization, efforts intensified from the beginning of 1549 and continued in the years that followed. The priest Gaspar Barzio requested that the Muslim king embrace Christianity. Even more alarming was the forced conversion of the wife of Zayd, a Persian Muslim, who was married off to a Portuguese Christian while still married to her Muslim husband. The Portuguese authorities in Ormuz took further action by closing the mosque and banning people from praying. Dr. Sultan Bin Muhammad Al-Qasimi
_ 9 _ (1) Document no. and reference. Episodes of the year 1549 Father Francisco Xavier sent a letter to Father Simao Rodrigues, Cochin, on the 20th of January 1549, mentioning Christianity in Socotra:(1) Translation of p. 234 IHS The grace and love of Christ Our Lord always in our aid and protector. Amen. Master Simon, my brother, I cannot convey to you in writing, the comfort I received from the arrival of Antonio Gomez and all the other Fathers. You must be aware that they produce great benefit for our souls and great service for God Our Lord, both by their lives and by their preaching, confessing, giving, Spiritual Exercises and conversing with the people. All those who know them are greatly edified.
_ 10 _ The needs of the members of our Society are very great in these parts, mainly in the cities of Ormuz and Diu rather than in Goa, because for lack of preachers and spiritual personnel many Portuguese live outside our low. Because I consider this need so great, I shall send Antonio Gomez to Diu and Ormuz, since God Our Father has given him so much talent and fervour in preaching, administering confession, giving spiritual Exercises and conversing with the Christians: and I shall send Master Gasper to the Sants Fe college. Summary of pp. 234-6 My dear Brother, you would perform a great service to God if you came with members of the Society to India and if, among them, were seven or eight preachers. These would not need to be men of erudition, since the infidel in this region are unlettered people, but rather men of virtue and experience. One preacher, accompanied by a priest to give confession and Spiritual Exercises, could easily open a college, first for children of the Portuguese, and then for those of the locals. I have received a great deal of information about the island of Japan, which is 200 or more leagues beyond China, from Portuguese who have been there and from some Japanese. These came with me last year from Malaca and became Christians in the Santa Fe College in Goa. I am
_ 11 _ sending you a notebook full of information based on Paulo de Santa Fe’s reports. I have made up my mind to go to Japan in April, 1549, with Father Cosme de Torres, because I believe it a good place for the spread of our religion. With the arrival of the Fathers this year, and the ones you are sending next year, I will not be greatly missed. By that time, I hope to send news of Japan and its attitude towards the spread of the faith. I hope that when all is in order in India, we shall meet in Japan, if the situation there is favourable to the propagation of our religion, which I believe it is. God willing, Many of the Society will continue to go to China, Tartao [Tartary?] and beyond. According to Paulo, these countries share a religion with Japan, which uses a language in their scriptures analogous to Latin in ours. When I arrive in Japan, I shall report about what they have in their books, which they claim come from God, and I shall visit the king. When I know more about the country I shall write to India, to the colleges in Coimbra and Rome, and to all the universities, especially that of Paris. Translation of pp. 236-7 This year, Cipriano is going to Socotra with a priest and two lay brothers. On that island there is a Moor who
_ 12 _ governs the Island of Socotra by force, against all reason and justice, without having any right but that of might. He has greatly offended the Christians by taking what was theirs and turning their daughters into Moors, apart from many other evils. You should request His Highness, in God’s service and in the salving of his conscience, to instruct that the Moors be expelled from that island. This can be done without any extra cost, by ordering those who are sailing to the Straits with the fleet, when they return from there, to drive out the Moors who are stationed near the beach in Socotra. They cannot be more than thirty Moors in a small house in the form of a fort. They do not allow the local people to bear arms, so they are completely enslaved. For the love of Our Lord, arrange for these miserable, wretched Christians to escape their captivity, as they are cruelly held in bondage by the Moors. These can be driven from the land when the fleet returns from the Straits and takes on water in the island. It is heartbreaking to hear the tales of woe of the Christians of Socotra. Six years ago, I passed by Socotra and was greatly saddened to see the persecution they suffer at the hands of the Moors of the Arabian coast. And all this depends on the will of the King and would cost nothing.
_ 13 _ Martin Alonso de Sousa, a gentleman who went to India, can give reliable information to His Highness about how cruelly those Moors rule that island. He can also confirm that at no extra cost, with the fleet that is going to the Straits, the Moors can be destroyed by demolishing that hut they have built in imitation of a fortress. Because all the members of the Society write to you of the progress they are making in these parts, with the help of Our Lord, I leave everything to them.
_ 14 _ (2) Document no. and reference. In the same year (1549) Father Francisco Xavier (Society of Jesus) sent a letter to Father Simao Rodrigues (Society of Jesus), Cochin, on the 20th of January 1549, mentioning the increase of Christianity in Ormuz and Socotra:(2) Extract p. 248 There is a great need for people of our Society in this country, especially in Ormuz and Diu; more so than in Goa, because many people do not belong to our holy faith for the lack of anyone to preach to them. For this reason I have just sent António Gomes there. Extract p 249 Cipriano is going to Socotra this year with others, a Father and two lay brothers.
_ 15 _ In the same year (1549) Father Francisco Xavier sent a letter to Father Simao Rodrigues, Cochin, on the 2nd of February 1549, mentioning the strengthening of Christianity in Ormuz:(3) Extract p. 275 The grace and love of Our Lord Jesus Christ be with us always. Amen. I shall not be able to convey in words, dear Brother Simon, how much happiness the arrival of Antonio Gomes and his companions has brought me. I know that they are making great progress in pious works, and that, through the example of their lives, by holding assemblies, hearing confessions, publishing commentaries and holding private (3) Document no. and reference.
_ 16 _ conversations, they are helping the Christian cause in a wonderful manner, with the great goodwill of all. Without doubt the Society needs men of excellence; especially in the city of Ormuz and the town of Dium, places which, even more than Goa, need pious preachers; for they have many Portuguese who are straying from Christian discipline and ritual. So as to fill this need, I have decided to send to Ormuz Antonio Gomes, a man outstanding in assemblies and efficient in carrying out the other duties of the Society. M. Gaspar will remain in the Collegium Sanctae Fidel. Summary of pp. 275-85 [The rest of the letter deals with the Society’s affairs in Socotra, Goa, India, Malacca, China, Japan, etc., and particularly with appointments to those areas]. [Ends] The ninth of February. Cochin. [signed] Franciscus. Letters of Francis Xavier II pp.69-80.
_ 17 _ In the same year (1549) A letter from King Joao III, by which he granted Reis Nur al-Din, son of Reis Sharaf, the right to be the Prime Minister and Governor of Ormuz, following to the death of his father. The letter is confirmed by King Dom Sebastiao, Almeriem, on the 8th of February 1549:(4) Dom Sebastião, by the grace of God, King of Portugal and of the Algarve, here and over there, in Africa, Lord of Guinea and of the conquest, navigation and trade in Ethiopia, Arabia, Persia and India, etc. I make known to all those who see this letter that on behalf of Reis Nur al-Din, Guazil of the city and kingdom of Ormuz, a transcript of the letter by which the King, my lord and grandfather, may he rest in peace, granted him the honour of this guazilado, as agreed and signed (4) Document no. and reference.
_ 18 _ by Francisco Nunez and Francisco Pedroso, clerks in the factory at Ormuz, was presented to me. The transcript reads as follows. Dom João, by the grace of God, King of Portugal and of the Algarve, here and over there, in Africa, Lord of Guinea and of the conquest, navigation and trade in Ethiopia, Arabia, Persia and India, etc. I make known to whoever may see this, my letter, that in respect for the many services which Reis Sharaf, Guazil of the city and kingdom of Ormuz has rendered to me, continues to render and which I expect him to render in the future, I have pleasure in honouring his sons, in particular Reis Nur al-Din, his eldest son, who came to my court, where he served me. He is a person such as I trust to serve me loyally in matters which I entrust to him and he will conduct himself honourably. For all these reasons, and because it pleases me to please his father, Reis Sharaf, by this letter, I resolve to grant him the honour of the post of Guazil in that city and kingdom of Ormuz, on the death of his father: the salary, the rights relevant to the post, the command and jurisdiction, the privileges, trading rights and immunities, as well as by any other things of direct relevance to this guazilado. This is just as in accordance with what his father Reis Sharaf, has in my letter and as have had other guazils in the past.
_ 19 _ I wish and order that, when Reis Sharaf, his father, dies he is to succeed him straight away in the post of guazil. This letter authorises him to be given possession of the post, as well as all other privileges which pertain to it. No other Provision from me will be necessary. Thus do I notify my present and future Captain-onChief and Governor in the lands of India; as well as the Captains in my fortress in Ormuz and Chief Treasury Officers in those lands, and all other Captains, officials and people to whom it corresponds to have knowledge of this. I order them that as soon as Reis Sharaf dies, they are to give his son, Reis Nur al-Din, possession of the post of guazil. They are to allow him to have it and serve in it all the days of his life, in the manner stated above. They are to please him in everything and have my letter adhered to and respected in its entirety, as is stated herein, without raising any doubts or objections, because this is my royal wish. He will swear in my Chancellery and according to its law, to serve this position loyally and faithfully, respecting all matters relating to my service and to law and order in those lands. He will do likewise for the good benefit and safety of the service of the King of Ormuz and his Kingdom and state. In
_ 20 _ order to give force to this, I have ordered that he be given this letter, signed by me, with my seal attached, and issued by the Chancellery. Given in the town of Almeirim on 26th February. Pero Fernandez did it in the year of the birth of Our Lord Jesus Christ, 1549. Since Reis Nur al-Din asked me to deign to confirm this letter to him, which request I respect and because I wish to please him, I resolve and it pleases me to confirm it to him as indeed I am doing, so that this be complied with and respected thus and according to the contents of the letter. In order to give force to this I have ordered this letter signed by me and sealed by my Royal Coat of Arms, to be issued. Given in Lisbon, on 8th February. Balthazar Ribeiro did it in the year of the birth of Our Lord Jesus Christ, 1571. I, Bartholomeu Frois caused it to be written. The King
_ 21 _ In the same year (1549) An order from King Joao III, by which he granted Reis Sharaf and Reis Nur al-Din, his son, all the powers of judges over Ormuz for the rest of their lives. The grant is confirmed by King Dom Sebastiao, Lisbon, on the 26th of February 1549:(5) I, the King, make known to those who see this, my Writ, that Reis Nur al-Din, guazil in the city and kingdom of Ormuz, presented me with the transcript of a Writ from the King, my lord and grandfather, may he rest in peace, which has been agreed and signed by Francisco Nunes, who served as clerk in the factory in Ormuz. The transcript is as follows: I, the King, make known to all those who see this my Writ, that on account of the great trust which I have in (5) Document no. and reference.
_ 22 _ Reis Sharaf, the guazil of the city and kingdom of Ormuz, as well as in Reis Nur al-Din, his son, I have granted the honour of the office of Guazil to the latter on the death of his father. It pleases me to grant them such an honour because his son will serve me well in this post, with the due rectitude and loyalty, which is expected of him. Therefore, by this Writ, I resolve and I order that, as long as one or other is serving me in this post of guazil, neither my present and future Captains in the fortress in Ormuz, nor any other of my officials in this fortress, whether from the courts of law or from the Treasury, may oversee nor look into, in any manner nor for any reason, those matters which relate to the guazilado, nor the Guazil’s administration, authority and jurisdiction. They are to allow them to have full usage of their rights and to attend to everything freely; that is to say, Reis Sharaf during his lifetime and Reis Nur al-Din, his son, both during his father’s lifetime and after his death, because thus do I resolve in the interests of my service. I thus notify my Captain-in-Chief and Governor in those lands of India, as well as my Chief Treasury Officers out there and the Captains and officials in the fortress of Ormuz, and whatever other Officials of mine and people to
_ 23 _ whom it corresponds to have knowledge. I order that thus they are to comply and enforce total compliance, with and respect for this, without raising any doubts or obstacles, because such is my royal wish. I wish this to be as valid and to have as much power as if it were a charter written on parchment, signed by me, sealed with my Royal Coat of Arms and issued by my Chancellery, notwithstanding the Ordinance in Book No 2, Article 20, which commands that matters which are to be effective for more than a year should be dealt with in a charter and that they shall be invalid if they are only dealt with in writs. This writ shall be complied with in its entirety, although it has not been issued by the Chancellery and notwithstanding the order to the contrary. Pero Fernandes did it in Almeirim on 26th February 1549. Reis Nur al-Din asked me to resolve to confirm this writ to him. In respect for his wishes and in order to please him, I resolve to confirm it to him as in fact I am doing. Therefore, this writ must be complied with and respected during his lifetime, in the manner which its contents state even though this has not been issued by the Chancellery. Balthazar Ribeiro did it in Lisbon on 7th February 1571.
_ 24 _ It will be as valid as if it were a Charter drawn up in my name and with my seal attached, notwithstanding the Ordinance in Book No 2, Article 20, which disposes to the contrary. I, Bartholomeu Frois, caused it to be written. The King
_ 25 _ In the same year (1549) Instructions were issued by Father Francisco Xavier to Father Gaspar Barzio, including a reminder of what he had to do in Ormuz, and the laws he had to abide by during his stay there, to increase Christianization in Ormuz, dated the beginning of April 1549:(6) Firstly, reflect on your conduct, starting by settling your account with God and then with your conscience. With these two things you will greatly benefit your neighbour. You will show great willingness in performing lowly and humble tasks thereby acquiring and increasing in humility. Thus, you will be careful to teach prayers personally to the children of the Portuguese, the male and female slaves, and the local Christians. (6) Document no. and reference.
_ 26 _ Do not delegate this task to someone else, because the people who come to do it for you are greatly edified and, moreover, the people come to hear and learn the Christian Doctrine. You will visit the poor of the hospital and admonish them from time to time. You will preach what is required of their consciences, exhorting them to confess and receive communion, since it is because of their sins that they are in their present state. You will hear their confessions whenever you can. Afterwards you will help them with the necessities of life by asking those who are in powerful and commanding positions to favour them in temporal matters. You will visit the imprisoned and preach to them, exhorting them to make a general confession of the whole of their past life, because among these people there are many, or a majority, who never confess. You will commend such as these to the Holy House of Mercy that it may take extra care to help them with their rights and give the suffering poor what they need. You will serve the Holy House of Mercy as far as you can and you will be friendly to its Brotherhood, helping them in every way. You will order those who confess in this
_ 27 _ city and whom you consider are under obligation to make restitution, but who are unable to repay the owners, either because they are dead or because their whereabouts are unknown, or because restitution is impossible to the true owners, to give everything to the Holy House of Mercy. Do this, even though poor people present themselves on whom it would appear the alms would be better employed, because among the poor there are many frauds and people who are involved in vices and sins. Such persons are well known to the Brotherhood of Mercy. The alms that would have been given to these, donate to the Holy House of Mercy and it will spend the money on the more necessitous and better-known poor. There are many reasons for this. So, if a lot of people approach you, requesting temporal rather than spiritual things, they would get the impression that you could help them with handouts. Let those who know you, consider that in this matter you can only help them in spiritual things. Moreover, it would be better to hand over all the alms to the Holy House of Mercy and avoid the embarrassment of people being suspicious and scandalized that you receive alms and money from which you yourself could profit. This is
_ 28 _ because when men are tempted, they sometimes put a bad construction on things. [If you think otherwise, do what you feel will be of greater service to God and your neighbour]. Be advised that, in all your actions and conversations, you should treat all the people you deal with spiritually, whether they are good friends, bad friends or otherwise, as if they had been your enemies at some time. Because this will benefit you by edifying them greatly in every way and confound them when they cease to be your friends. Use your discretion when dealing with this evil world and you will always live above yourself. You will thus enjoy God the more and you will understand yourself better. Because many situations arise from the inattention, we pay ourselves, whereby those who were our friends cease to be so, and those who are our enemies, as well as those who do not know us, take offence. Be careful not to abandon personal examination of conscience twice a day, or at least once. Above all lead your life paying greater attention to your own conscience than that of other people, because whoever is not at ease with himself, how will he be so with others? Your sermons must be as regular as possible, because they are a univer-
_ 29 _ sal blessing, from which great profit, service to God and advantage to souls are derived. In your sermons, I advise you never to preach about doubtful topics or difficulties of the Church Doctors, but rather very straight- forward matters as well as moral doctrine. Denounce vices in this fashion: for instance, by lamenting the offence committed against God, the eternal damnation of sinners, the pains of hell and violent death, which catches men totally unprepared. Then, touch on one or several aspects of the Passion in the manner of a conversation between a sinner and God or allude to the wrath of God against sinners. Urge those of your listeners who are moved, as much as possible to contrition, sorrow and tears, persuading them to confess and receive the Blessed Sacrament. In this way your sermons will bear fruit. Be well advised, especially in sermons, not to censure any person or persons who have authority in the land. Let your reprimands be in the privacy of their homes or in confession, because these men are very dangerous. Instead of mending their ways, they become worse when they are admonished in public. Deliver these reproofs when you have become friends with them. If you are great friends, you will take them to task a lot, but if you are not, you will be sparing in your blame.
_ 30 _ So you will rebuke them with a smile and with gentle, loving words, not harsh ones, embracing them from time to time and humbling yourself before them. Do this so that they may more readily accept the reproach, because I fear that if you reprimand them with harsh words, they lose their patience, and you will convert them into enemies. I mean this mainly for powerful personages or those with authority or riches. When you hear confessions, especially in this region, before you do so encourage the penitent to examine his past life from some two or three days, calling to mind his sins, writing them down so as to reflect on them the better. Then you can hear his confession. Do not absolve him straight away, but rather defer the absolution for two or three days, giving such people some meditations to reflect upon from the first week of the Spiritual Exercises and to repent of their faults with some penance and punishment to make them sorry. Induce them to give back what they owe, or become friends, or abandon carnal and other deep-rooted sins. Oblige them do this before you absolve them because they make many promises in confession but keep few. It would be better for them to act, before you absolve them
_ 31 _ regarding what they promise to do, rather than after they have been absolved. Note this. When you hear confessions in these parts, do not treat the penitents harshly or inspire fear until they have related their sins. Rather should you talk to them about God’s great mercy, making light of what is, in fact, very serious; all this until they have finished confession and reciting their sins. Be attentive when you hear confessions, because you will come across people who, out of shame for some vile and obscene sins, do not dare to reveal them. Encourage such persons as these persuasively to confess their faults. Treating everything lightly, explain to them that you know of others more serious than those that they have. I would state further that with persons like this, help them sometimes to confess these sins which the devil prevents them from revealing through shame or fear. Describe your own sad past in general terms. This is something that experience will teach you. You will find some people, and let us hope there are not many, who have doubts about the sacraments, especially about Communion. The reason why many do not receive Communion is because of their contact with the
_ 32 _ infidel. There are many other reasons that I refrain from mentioning. When they see how different our lives are, they imagine all manner of faults committed by us sinners concerning the consecration. With these people you will endeavour to make them disclose all the superstitions, infidelities and doubts that they have, because the best remedy is to discover such uncertainties from the beginning and then to encourage them to believe firmly and without doubting that the true body of Christ, Our Redeemer and Lord, is present in that sacrament. In this way they will be helped to renounce such an error and receive frequent Communion. When you hear confessions, you will take great care to ask the men about how they earn their living by trading. If you think there is some usuary involved, do not believe the words of the many who say: “My conscience does not trouble me about anything relating to restitution”, because there are many whose consciences do not trouble them with remorse, because they have no conscience, or if they do, they have very little. When the King’s officials confess to you, especially captains, a factor or any others who hold royal posts, or factors who invoice other people’s goods, inquire very
_ 33 _ assiduously into what they claim about how they gain their livelihoods in such posts and particularly into the account they give. You may see through the account they give you of how they benefit from the money or property of others, by not allowing others to buy before the captains have bought and sold, how the factors help themselves to the King’s money. Thus, it is he who pays them. So, you will inquire particularly about their mode and manner of trading to earn their living, since in this way you will learn from them whether they are liable for restitution or not. This is far better than asking them: Do you have anything that does not belong to you? Because to this question they will simply reply “No”, for these men are both in the habit of causing harm and of earning their living by evil means. What is an even greater sin is to be so inured to performing evil and living by foul means, that it is no longer considered wicked. In this way, you will see whether they have any liability for restitution or not. You will be unreservedly obedient to the Father Vicar. When he arrives, you will kiss his hand, while kneeling on the ground. You will preach and confess with his permission, and you will give instruction in the other spiritual exercises. You will not break with him for any reason
_ 34 _ whatever. Work hard to be his friend, in order that you may give him the Spiritual Exercises, at least those of the first week, if you are unable to do more. You will be very friendly with all the other Fathers, and on no account will you break with any of them. On the contrary, you will show them great respect, forcing yourself to like them so as to give them the Spiritual Exercises. When you do not give all of them [those who want to perform the Exercises, shut up in their houses on some days] they will be those of the first week. You will show absolute obedience to the captain, subjecting yourself completely to him. Do not break with him for any reason whatsoever, even though you see him do things very badly. When you feel that he is your friend, you will tell him, with great affection and anxiety for his soul and reputation, with great humility and with a cheerful countenance, what others say of him. Do this when you see that he can profit by it and when you consider that it is appropriate. Many will come to you with complaints about him for you to go and talk to him. When possible, make an excuse that you are busy with spiritual matters and, moreover, you do not know how much good it will do. Tell them
_ 35 _ that those who have no consideration for God and their consciences will certainly not have it for you. When you have time, you will devote it to the conversion of the infidel. Above all, you will never neglect a universal for a particular good, such as abandoning preaching so as to hear a confession, or failing to teach daily prayers at the appropriate time for some individual matter. One hour before teaching the prayers, either you or your companion will go through the town summoning people to come for Christian Religious Instruction. You will write a detailed account to the college, as if you were doing it to Our Lord God, of all your work and the fruit that God produces through you, because the letters you write to the college will serve to be sent to Portugal. Write edifying things in them which will move those who read them to serve God. You will also write to His Lordship the Bishop and to Cosmo Eanes about the progress of your work out there. Right from the beginning, strive to find out from very honest people about the dealings of the men of that city. Be well informed about them so as to admonish them, both in public as well as in confession, because of their bad habits of usury.
_ 36 _ Every night, you will commend the souls of those in purgatory, with a few brief words that move your listeners to piety and devotion. Commend too the souls of those in mortal sin with an Our Father and Hail Mary, that Our Lord God may give them grace to return to a virtuous state. You will converse with everyone with a joyful countenance, without self-consciousness and without scowling. This is because if they see you sullen and sad, many of them will be afraid and cease to avail themselves of you. Thus, be courteous and kind. Let your private scoldings be with love and goodwill, so that those who talk and converse with you do not feel that you are displeased with them. If you consider that some person, whether cleric or lay, is suitable to Join our Company or to do the Spiritual Exercises, you can send him to the college with a letter. Or if you think that such a person is of help to you, hold on to him so that he assists you. On Sundays and festivals, after lunch, between one and two or two and three o’clock, whichever seems best, preach the articles of faith, in the Holy House of Mercy or in the church, to the male and female slaves, the enfranchised Christians and to the children of the Portuguese.
_ 37 _ First, however, summon the whole of the city or go personally with a companion ringing a bell, so that everyone may come and listen to the articles of faith. You will carry from home the Christian Doctrine, the document concerning the articles of faith and the Rules and Regime that a man has to follow every day so as to entrust himself to God and save his soul. You will give these Rules and Regime to those who confess their sins to you with penitence over a certain period. Later, it will become a habit, because it is a very good system, and the penitents feel comfortable with it. You will thus converse with many people, even though they do not confess to you. You will put the Rules and Regime on a notice-board in the Church of Our Lady of Mercy, where those who wish to derive benefit from them may take them. If you accept some men for the Company, whom you consider will thereby come to God, make arrangements, after they have finished the Spiritual Exercises, for their novitiate and mortification to be that of serving the hospital and visiting the imprisoned and as well as doing something for the Holy House of Mercy, so that they avoid acting in some novel way which would cause
_ 38 _ derision or ridicule. And if this often happens, it will be up to you to plead to God or for the poor of the hospital or the prisoners of the prison, so that the mortifications will be edifying to those who witness them. And be careful that this is the way you act. When you are about to hand out these penances, first thoroughly investigate the person who is going to perform them. The amount of virtue you see in him will determine the mortifications. Thus, let the degree of virtue and perfection you perceive in him exceed the penance. Do not hand out mortifications, big or small, that are greater than the amount of virtue and perfection of the person who is to perform them. If you do the opposite, instead of profiting from them, you will put them out of reach and if they attempt them they afterwards lose the will for any other mortification. Endeavour to animate those who practise the religious exercises, so that they reveal their temptations to you, because this helps the imperfect to become perfect. If they find you severe in handing out mortifications, they will not reveal their temptations to you. These will increase to such a point that they will become deeply troubled. Then the enemy will easily finish them off, they will become confused and abandon you.
_ 39 _ When those who are tempted by vanity, sensuality or any other enticement, come to you, give them time to consider arguments against these temptations. Clear the way for them so that afterwards they will look for as many reasons as they can to counter such temptations. Afterwards, arrange for them to reveal these arguments in the form of exhortations and discourses to groups of people, such as the inmates and sick of the hospital, as well as others who are healthy. They will derive great benefit from imparting these reasons and suggesting remedies that they themselves are convinced about. They will thus be encouraged to act on what they feel and to give advice to others. This principle will also be advantageous to laypeople who confess but who have impediments which prevent you from absolving them. Let them consider that if they were to suggest a remedy to others for such a spiritual evil, what ways and means would they employ to persuade them to do the opposite. These they should adopt themselves. However, this is a religious principle and an art imparted to souls, thanks to Him who created them to glorify the Creator and to save themselves in this present life. When you hear the confessions of people who are greatly disturbed by the need for restitution, by carnal
_ 40 _ desires or hatred, and who have no wish to mend their ways, by taking steps to give up their sins, because they are so ingrained, the cure for such people, if reason has any value or force, should be the love and reverence that they ought to have for God so as to disavow such sins. When they lack this, it should be the fear of death, of hell, but most of them lack this fear, just as they lack love. With such people you will proceed in the following manner: describe to them God’s punishments in this life, like curtailing their lives, serious illnesses, the disgraces of this present existence, loss of goods, persecution by captains, perils of the sea, and others of life’s catastrophes that God permits, all on account of their sins. Through fear of these punishments there are many who do penance. It is through fear of this rather than through fear of God or of the pains of hell. Sinners notice these calamities because of their great neglect of God and their consciences and their lack of faith. They believe what they see and have doubts about what they ought to be aware of in the other life. When you have to deal in spiritual matters with a particular person and converse about questions related to God and the salvation of the soul, be careful in what
_ 41 _ you say. Observe if such a person is tempted, strays or harbours intentions opposed to the salvation of his soul, or if he is free of such temptations and disposed to receive reprimands and religious instruction. If you see that he is irritated, upset, tempted or angry. speak to him gently rather than abruptly, and lead him gradually so that he may manage to do what is needed for the salvation of his soul. If you consider that he is free of passion and disposed to receive reprimands, commence at the outset with a few and then, if he accepts them well, with more caustic ones. Thus, you will do some straight talking when you see that he is ready to have truth and reason impressed on him. From here, as I have said, lead him discreetly to what improves his conscience. By that I mean, if he loses his temper, dissipate the anger he feels at things he has and shows to you, by blaming what he did in anger to ignorance and not to malice; this is the way he sees things when he is in a rage. Alternatively say that this is because of his sins, and that at some time he did such a thing to his father or mother or other person with whom he had a serious argument and, as a punishment for his action, God allows someone else to
_ 42 _ pay him in the same coin. You will thus use more gentle words of this sort to rid him of his anger. And what I say about rage I say about any other strong emotion, by always maintaining that he has no reason or cause for taking things so much to heart. So you will talk in the following manner to those who are angry, love-loin or tempted: you will wear them from the passion that afflicts them with a smile. Later you will converse with them in a different way, admonishing them strongly, in accordance with their obedience to reason. Wherever you are, take great pains to find out about all the dealings, manners and means that the men use to earn a living and to trade, both within the country as well as outside. Become well versed in this through people who are conversant with these transactions. These people are the ones who will teach you how you are to make progress in the land where you are living. Besides, they provide reliable information about the wrong- doings that happen there. You can thus receive detailed information about the dealings and usury that takes place between here and Ormuz. On the way, you can also reflect on the manner in which you are to convince them so that they become aware of the errors in which they live and the restitution that they have to make.
_ 43 _ You can think about your approach to preaching and how you are to treat them in confession and the help you should give them. Bear in mind that you will not find anything better than that of persuading them to make a general confession of their sins. Make some meditations of the first week so that they discover contrition, sorrow, tears and regret at seeing their damnation. Acquaint yourself too with the many disputes and frauds that they have a hand in through the courts, using perjury, bribes, connections and other deceits, whereby they withhold and conceal the truth. Thus, to put it briefly, in no other way will you benefit the souls of the men of this city, than by knowing their lives in detail. This is the principal inquiry that helps to bring improvement to souls. It consists of reading books that teach things that are not to be found in dead books. Doing this will not help you as much to enrich souls as obtaining such information from living men who share the same way of life. Anyway, I have always felt happy with this rule. On Sundays, feast days or working days, you will occupy yourself in forging friendships, and in preventing and settling lawsuits. Because they spend more on lawsuits
_ 44 _ than the matter about which the lawsuit is brought is worth, even though the solicitors and clerks pester them with this. Endeavour to give the Spiritual Exercises to these solicitors and clerks, because these are the ones who instigate all the lawsuits. You will remain in Ormuz until you receive a reply from me about what you should do. You will write to me in detail from Ormuz to Francisco Peres in Malacca about all the progress that you are making there. Francisco Peres will forward your letters to me from Malacca to Japan, if God considers it right and in his service for me to go to Japan. If you do not receive a reply from me within the space of three years, you will remain there, because that is my wish, even if they write to you from India. If you have no reply from me after three years, then stay in Ormuz until you are ordered to do otherwise by the Rector of the College of Santa Fe. You will thus write in great detail to whoever is the Rector in that house concerning the progress you are making there. Moreover, as I have said, you will wait for my message for three years, even if the Rector of that house should order you to act differently. At the end of three years, having reported to him the progress you are making and how much you will be missed
_ 45 _ if you leave there, you will then comply with what you are told to do. You will send letters to me by all the naus going from Ormuz to Malacca, addressing them to Francisco Peres. You will arrange for prayers to be taught in the nau and you will take special care with your sailors so as to make them confess. Be very careful that they do not become disaffected on the nau. You will preach to them on Sundays and any other days you think fit. I rely on you in this matter to act according to the willingness you observe. In your sermons you will make the least reference possible to authorities. Speak about spiritual things that sinners experience because they lead bad lives. Refer to the end in store for them and the deceits of the enemy things the average man understands and not what he does not. If you want to produce good results, both in yourself and in your neighbour, and live content, converse with sinners, causing them to unburden themselves to you. These are the living books which you should study, both so as to preach and for your consolation.
_ 46 _ I do not say that you should not read written books on occasion, but do so in order to seek evidence in writing to justify the remedies against vices and sins that you find in the book of life and to reinforce your denunciations of vice with quotations from the Sacred Scriptures and the examples of the saints. Since the King commands you to be given everything, you need, you will accept it from him rather than from some other person. It is a serious matter not to accept from somebody what you need, because whoever takes, is taken. By that I mean that words do not have the same efficacy concerning someone who accepts something from another, as they would if he were not under obligation. So, later, when we should reproach them, we feel embarrassed, and we are at a loss for words to criticise such a person. We will come across many people living in sin, who will make great efforts to court your friendship so that you do not speak 111 of them, but they do not do this because they can profit thereby and abandon their sins through your agency. I tell you this as a warning. When they send you invita-
_ 47 _ tions or presents, accept on condition that you motivate them to what is useful for the salvation of their souls. If they invite you to eat, go there and, in return, invite them to make their confession to you. If they have no desire to lend assistance in spiritual matters, drop a hint. When I say that you should not accept anything, I do not mean that you should refuse small things like water, fruit and suchlike, which, if you do not take them, cause offence. Do not accept large items. If they order a mass of things for you to eat, you will send them either to the sick, to prisoners or to other needy people. Let everyone know that you give away the small items you receive, so that, in this way, people will be edified more than if you did not accept things, because they take it as an insult when you do not accept the small gifts The Portuguese in India cause offence when they refuse everything. As for where you lodge, consider what would be most convenient: in the hospital, in the Holy House of Mercy or in a cottage near the church. Should it so happen that I call you from Japan, in such an event you will write to the Rector of that house saying
_ 48 _ that he should provide some suitable person to comfort the inhabitants of that city and take over your job. Send two or three copies of this in the ships that sail from there. Lastly, I commend you above all to look after yourself, to remember that you are a member of the Company of Jesus. When you know the country, the things you experience will teach you, a great deal about what should be offered in the service of God, as that is the greatest of all things. Remember me always in your holy prayers and in those of your church-goers. Last of all and finally I entrust you to read this reminder every week so as not to forget what I so much commend to you. [Francisco]
_ 49 _ In the same year (1549) Lopo Herotado de Mendonca sent a letter to King Charles V and the Queen of Spain, regarding the fortification of Gibraltar and Melilla, and the death of Dom João de Castro, and the Turkish success in India, in addition to the treaty with Persia regarding the Strait of Ormuz was in danger, Lisbon, on the 14th of July 1549. He also reminds them of the Turkish occupation of Aden and Basra:(7) Most High and Noble sovereigns Included with this is the reply to Your Highnesses from the serene King [João III of Portugal], who has told me to write to Your Highness what he told me to write on the 6th concerning his decision on the matter of the Xarif, and as I am sending Your Highness a copy of what I wrote to His Majesty, I shall not repeat it here. (7) Document no. and reference.
_ 50 _ The Serene King says that he agreed with what Your Highness orders to the Conde de Tendilla and D. Bernardo de Mendoza, to go to Gibraltar and Melilla and fortify them, and also to treat with the King of Vélez or with the Allide to have the rock. He thanks Your Highness for all the information you ordered to be given him, and also for sending them to see the fort of Saynar and other places of his, on which they gave their opinion to D. Alonso de Noronha, and I am sending to you. A caravel has arrived from his India with news of the death of D João de Castro, who was a very worthy gentleman and he is greatly missed, especially at this time when there is news that the Turks have won from the Moors a town called Adam, which is near another one they took last year called Basra. Both are in the part of the Strait where the Portuguese have their commerce and navigation, especially to Ormuz, which is in Persia, and the chief and most profitable possession of the serene King in those parts. It is said that this commerce will be lost or will be very difficult and not very profitable to keep. The Turks have twelve galleys on that coast and many men. It is much regretted that although there were said to be seven well-laden carracks coming this year, none has arrived as yet.
_ 51 _ Your Highness’s letter of 26 June answered that of the Serene King and I told him that Your Highness had ordered me to send it. He told me that he will see it, and he replied at once that the men who were seizes in the caravel were freed on condition that they presented themselves to Your Highness’s court to await whatever was decided by law. The caravel and the contents were given against securities. When the King answers me, I shall write in greater length to Your Highness I have not been given the other letter Your Highness mentions as signed by the members of the Council, nor has the Patriarch replied to what I wrote to him when I learned that the caravel had been captured. May God protect Your Highness’s royal life and increase your exalted state. From Lisbon 14 July 1549.
_ 52 _ In the same year (1549) A letter concerning Father Gaspar Barzio, came to the Jesuits residing in Goa, Ormuz, in September 1549, in which he mentioned a description of Ormuz and the conditions there:(8) He was greatly delayed(A) on his voyage because of a shortage of food and water and on account of robbers. These attacked his na en route and he was forced to take up arms so as to make up the numbers. One of the King’s forts is located on this island of Ormuz. The land is so hot that the Portuguese go about naked and most of the time immersed in a tank of water. The land is covered with salt and rock salt. It is riddled with vice on a (A) This is a reference to Father Gaspar Barzeu. (8) Document no. and reference.
_ 53 _ grand scale and Brother Gaspar was greatly needed there, as are many others. He preaches three times a week, on Sunday, Wednesday and Saturday. He gives religious instruction every day to the young men and negroes and summonses them twice a day with a little bell that he rings as he walks through the street. Right at the beginning he was stoned on two occasions by the Moors. On Saturdays he holds debates with the Jews in the synagogues whom he impresses greatly. He has the same effect on the Moors. Many of them become Christians and they call him Master Gaspar Zacharias(A). The Moors flock to him because they see him living like a poor man. They give him pieces of camel’s hair cloth with which to clothe himself, but he is unwilling to accept anything. He is much loved by the captain(B) He is also revered by the Portuguese and the Moors, because in their dealings with the captain, Master Gaspar is their only support. Ormuz is in Persia, which is an extremely large province. A dozen leagues beyond Ormuz there is an area of perpetual snow, which is said to be one month’s journey (A) The Koran praises Zacharias, the father of John the Baptist. (B) At that time it was D. Manuel de Lima.
_ 54 _ from Jerusalem. Every race is here, for instance: Persians; Turks; Russians, who border on northern Germany; Georgians, who are tall like Germans; Brahmans, who appear to belong to the Jewish race; Gujaratis and many other heathen castes; Abyssinians, who are Prester John’s Christians; and many Castilian Jews, who come here by way of Venice. Among the last named there is a Bible scholar named Solomon. He debates with Master Gaspar. In a word, there are almost all the nations of the world here. In this country there are great money-lenders. All the horses destined for India leave from here. There are some Armenians in this place that go about dressed like Moors (and with skull-caps) but who are Christians. They change their clothes and their customs in whatever country they go to, and they speak many languages. One night two of these went to Master Gaspar, pleading with him to go and confess a brother of theirs who was on the point of death. He went there to do this, and after the confession, the man died and was buried in hallowed ground. There are a number of hermits in this land. These are looked upon as holy men and are venerated by these people. Many of them live covered with ashes in underground
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